Road Trip
by nightfallsupernova
Summary: Damon is all alone in the boarding house since everyone else has better things to do without him. Drunk, bored and fed up of being alone he decides to pay Caroline a suprise visit knowing shes alone too. Slightly out of character.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ****this story is only going to be about 3 maybe 4 chapters long. ive got the basic idea in my head but dont have a lot of time to write a big story like my last one due to college but i still wanted to write my d/c stories so they have to be shorter due to time constraints. my updates wont be as quick either but i hope that wont put you off. this story may be out of character but i wanted to try a story that was more lighthearted and fun with a little but not too much drama. hope you like it and enjoy.**

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><p>Damon woke up on the sofa in the living completely bored out of his mind since Stefan and Elena were away on a weekend together, Bonnie and Jeremy were doing whatever they were doing together and Ric well he was off doing some history thing for the school so he lost his drinking buddy for the weekend.<p>

He looked at the clock on his phone as it read six am as he wondered just how he managed to drink all his bourbon in one night on his own but he managed to sober himself up after having an hours sleep and some blood for breakfast.

He wondered who he could spend the day with as he realized he never really spent any time with Caroline lately and decided to pay her a visit even though she would be pissed but he knew it would be worth it just to see the look on her face at the sight of him in her room.

He drove over to Caroline's house and luckily for him she slept with her window open so he looked around checking the coast was clear before he jumped up and climbed in her window to see her sleeping soundly as he wondered just how she always managed to sleep for a good seven hours as he only needed four or five hours a night. Besides they were dead, its not like they needed sleep.

He took off his shoes before he lay down on the bed beside her waiting for her to waken up but he got bored after a few minutes and shifted a bit to try and wake her up but it didn't work as she didn't even move in the bed.

He lay there looking around her room until he felt her put her arm over his stomach looking down at her arm and glancing at her thinking "_hello" _as he waited for her to waken up.

He decided to move on the bed but she just pulled herself closer to him before she started to stir but even this was boring him as he wondered how long did it take someone to waken up so he kept poking her on the shoulder until she started to open her eyes.

She slowly opened her eyes looking at him before closing them again thinking she was dreaming but then she quickly sat up gripping his throat with her hand but let him go when she realized it was Damon lying beside her facing her and not some vampire wanting to kill her.

She fell back on the bed sleepily muttering "_what do you want Damon and what time is it" _turning to look at the clock which read seven thirty am as she groaned in frustration rubbing her eyes before lying on her side to face him.

She rolled her eyes muttering "_its not even eight am and it's the first lie in I've had since I've finished school and your already up" _as he just looked at her lightly quipping "_it's a bright sunny summer morning and you wanna waste it in bed"_ with a look of mock hurt.

She tried to glare at him but failed as she started laughing replying "_aw your all bored because Elena and Stefan are away and you have no one else although while I would say I'm flattered I have to say I'm not because you only thought of me when you had no one else" _with sarcasm as she smiled at him.

His jaw slightly dropped as he replied "_that's not true" _slightly hurt that she would say that as she raised her eyebrow at him before he started to slightly laugh as she hit him playfully on the shoulder but he just stuck his hands under the sheets tickling her sides.

She couldn't stop laughing as the sheets ended up down at her hips as she quipped "_stop it hurts" _between laughing and the tears down her face only made him tickle her more as he quipped "_not until you take it back" _tickling her harder with a smirk.

She put her hands on his wrists to try and make him stop but it was useless so she moved to lie on top of him with her legs either side of him as she mumbled into his shoulder "_okay I take it back just stop" _still laughing to which he quipped "_sorry I didn't quite catch that" _in a light tone of voice.

She lifted her head to look at him speaking louder _"okay I'm sorry I take it back" _and then he stopped but she was still laughing as she rested her arms on each side of his head muttering "I'_ve never been woken up like that before" _after getting her breath back as breathing was something she still done.

She looked at him suspiciously quipping "_so as much as I love to wake up to your adorable face what brings you here, I thought you would be having an orgy now that you got a weekend with the whole house to yourself" _grinning at him.

He rolled his eyes playfully retorting "_I'm insulted" _with mock hurt lightly adding "_and bedsides I wouldn't have an orgy and not invite my number one which is you to it" _smirking at her as she just laughed at him thinking he wasn't serious as she knew his number one was Elena.

It was out before she could stop herself lightly quipping "_I thought Elena was your number one" _with a soft smile to show she was only joking even though she really was serious.

He seemed to pick up on it sincerely replying "_not anymore she isn't, I don't love her anymore, I think if she didn't look like Katherine I never would have wanted anything to do with her" _with a serious expression before adding "_besides shes too boring for me" _rolling his eyes at the thought of being with Elena as they both laughed as Caroline told him it was probably true as he was too adventurous for someone like Elena.

When they stopped laughing Damon quipped "_besides I was bored and I figured since we are both here alone with no one to hang out with because they have better things to do and don't want anything to do with us then we could hang out together" _with a serious expression as she wondered who was this and what did he do with the real Damon but she knew this side to him was always there he just never let anyone see it.

But she knew when she was human she did see that hidden side of him not that he ever noticed that as he quipped "_feel like a road trip" _raising an eyebrow.

She thought about it replying "_okay once its fun because I went on one with Elena and Bonnie years ago and it was boring and they wouldn't even drink and worse they wouldn't even let me drink" _rolling her eyes resting her head on his shoulder before lifting it back up to look at him.

He softly laughed before adding "_oh you can drink on this one, while I have no rules drinking on a road trip is the only rule of mine and there will be blood too" _waggling his eyebrows mischievously to which she just laughed.

She looked at him again lying on top of him feeling each other's breath and she couldn't help wonder if he was only saying he wanted her there but really didn't want her there.

She knew from the way he was looking at her he was being genuine as she quipped "_ok just let me get ready I wont be long" _getting off him and then getting out of the bed and putting on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before telling him she was going downstairs to leave a note for her mother so he followed her downstairs.

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><p>They left the house and got into the car as Caroline started laughing when she seen four bottles of bourbon and a blood bag for her down at her feet realizing he was serious figuring it was going to be a fun day or however long the road trip would be not that she really cared as she was glad Damon wanted to spend some time with her as a friend as she glanced at him a few times.<p>

Damon looked over at her doing the eye thing and winking at her to which she giggled and swore she blushed even if vampires couldn't blush but the way he was looking at her she felt herself melt into the seat.

Damon told her to open one of the bottles of bourbon asking her where she wanted to go as she thought about it before quipping "R_oute 66" _to which he deadpanned before stuttering "_you know what route 66 is" _to which she laughed as she never seen Damon so lost for words before.

She looked at him adding "_of course I do, it was the main route from the east starting at Chicago, Illinois going over to California ending in Los Angeles in the west in the 1930's during the depression when people were going to the west in search of the American dream only to find they would never be part of the American dream because they couldn't afford anything along with the west didn't want them there either" _as he gave her a look that told her he was impressed.

She looked at him with a serious expression adding "_I know people think I'm this shallow blond airhead bimbo so I let them because they don't know me and I don't care what they think" _slightly shrugging her shoulder.

Damon looked at her silently for a few seconds before replying "_their loss anyway and they suck" _softly smiling at her before looking back out the window.

Caroline couldn't believe Damon was being so nice to her as she wondered what his angle was but she decided not to say anything since she knew him well enough that he would probably throw her out of the car if she questioned him so she decided to just go with it and enjoy the trip.

Caroline was curious as she asked "_have you been on this road before" _looking at him.

He told her "_I did in the 1930s but I haven't been on it since because I left for Europe and even though I came back to Mystic Falls in the 50's to annoy Stefan I went to Asia after I was bored annoying Stefan" _as Caroline let out a short laugh at him annoying Stefan until he was bored.

Caroline asked him to tell her about why he always showed up to Stefan every fifty years just to annoy him but Damon told her because that's what brothers do along with he did promise an eternity of misery.

He told her he had a promise to follow up on and when Caroline asked him is that the reason he is still around since the whole save Elena drama was over.

Damon thought about it for a few minutes knowing she had a point in having no reason to stay in Mystic Falls since he knew he didn't love Elena anymore and Stefan was also starting to get on his nerves too as he couldn't figure out why he had stayed in that hellhole of a town and its penchant for drama.

A small voice whispered in the back of his mind maybe Caroline had something to do with as he glanced over at her to see her looking out the window as he thought he'd never have any chance, not after the way he treated her when she was human.

Caroline started to regret saying anything so decided to turn on the radio and he figured she was letting the matter drop which he couldn't hide the feeling that he made her not ask anymore because everyone knew if you asked him too many questions, your likely to end up with you heart ripped out.

He couldn't help wonder was she the reason he stayed in Mystic Falls as she was the only one to ever talk to him and want to talk to him plus no one else would come on a road trip after waking up to find him lying on her bed the way he did this morning along with he was also her maker and she was the only decent vampire he made.

He also thought everyone hated him as he wondered if she hated him would she be in the car with him right now so he just decided to say "_I like you that's why I stayed plus I couldn't just leave you to put up with the Stefan and Elena pukefest all by yourself" _glancing over at her.

She looked over at him in surprise at just how serious he was and there was no sarcasm or anything in his voice as she curiously quipped "_ok, who are you and what have you done with the real Damon" _softly smiling at him to which he just rolled his eyes.

He looked over at her replying "_oh don't worry I'm still here, its just you being it out of me" _flirtatiously doing the eye thing at her.

She smiled trying not to laugh but failed to which he gave her look of mock hurt before laughing as she wondered just why she was in the car but she knew she always liked him more then she let everyone believe.

They spent the rest of the time talking, making fun of each other and arguing over who were the best bands, songs and films as Damon couldn't believe just how much he had in common with her and felt really crap for treating her the way he did when she was human.

Hours later and they were on the Route 66 with the radio playing and Caroline was drinking from the bottle of bourbon when he took it out of her hand taking a long drink before he decided to just say what he had to say.

Caroline noticed he looked tense as she lightly quipped "_ask" _looking at her as he glanced over at her figuring he should just say it while expecting her to jump out if the car.

Damon replied "_I'm sorry for the way I treated you when you were human" _with a serious expression and Caroline believed him when she realized just how serious he was.

She also knew Damon never apologized as she replied "_I forgave you for that ages ago and it also made me realize some stuff about myself so don't feel bad about it" _in a serious tone of voice giving him a soft smile.

Damon still felt bad about it but he decided to just let it go as he wanted to have fun and she was here now and that was all that mattered as he realized she was the only person in Mystic Falls that he actually liked.

Damon decided to tell funny stories about Stefan when he was human which only made Caroline laugh and tell him she wished she could have been there to see it.

They kept driving until they got to Los Angeles stopping occasionally at some of the roadside taverns that were still open for business but they were more or less empty with the only people in it being tourists.

They were on their way back and detoured to Arizona to the Grand Canyon as Caroline said she had always wanted to go the but she didn't want to go on her own so Damon said they could stop and stay for a while.

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><p>They had been driving for nearly a week and heard nothing from anyone in Mystic Falls as they both made a deal on the first day to switch off their phones and put them under the seat in his car.<p>

The sun was starting to surrender to the night as it hung lowly on the horizon slowly slipping away leaving behind red streaks across the sky as they pulled up to a quiet point overlooking the canyon.

Damon put the roof of the car down as Caroline got out and walked over to the cliff edge looking out over the canyon in complete amazement think it looked so much better then in the photos and all the televisions programs she seen on National Geographic.

When she finally noticed Damon had been standing beside her she finally spoke "_this place is amazing" _in a soft voice looking over the canyon.

She added "_this place is huge all created from the Colorado river starting 17 million years ago and its still eroding the canyon today" _as Damon looked at her taken by surprise once again as he didn't think she would know about this sort of thing like he did but not that anyone ever knew that about him.

Caroline added "_I'm definitely coming back here in a thousand years if I'm still alive but then it wont have changed in a noticeable way because that will take at least another million years" _looking over at him slightly laughing at his surprised expression.

Damon smirked before quipping "_you keep surprising me Blondie" _winking at her.

She hit him on the shoulder playfully replying "_told you I'm full of surprises" _winking back at him before laughing and walking back over to the car.

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><p>They sat in the back seat with the radio playing rock music drinking from a bottle of bourbon as Caroline flirted shamelessly with him but he just kept out doing her with more flirtatious smutty innuendo as he kept telling her she could never beat him but she told him she loved to try.<p>

Caroline was never one to shy away from making the first move sitting closer to him putting her arm over his shoulder taking the bottle off him with the other hand drinking from it as he rested his head back looking up at the clear night sky.

They were blissfully drunk under the starry night sky when Caroline heard her favorite song Don't go Away Mad just go away by Motley Crue as she yelled "_I love this song" _leaning forward turning up the radio before sitting back beside Damon leaning her head back on the seat.

She tapped her hands along to the drum beat on her knees getting lost in the music closing her eyes as she softly sang along "_w__e could sail away __o__r catch a freight train. __o__r a rocket-ship into outer space. __nothing__ left to do, __too__ many things were said, __t__o ever make it feel __like__ yesterday did, __seasons__ must change __separate__ paths, separate ways, __i__f we blame it on anything, __let__'__s__ blame it on the rain" _stretching her hands in air above her head.

Damon just looked at her wondering how he never seen this side of her, oh wait he was too obsessed with Katherine to even notice anything about her as he mentally kicked himself over it but he decided there and then to forget about it as she told him she was over it.

He liked this version of Caroline as he noticed she was looking at him as she sang along "_I knew it all along __I'd__ have to write this song, __too__ young to fall in love, __guess__ we knew it all along, __that's__ alright, that's __okay, we__ were __walking __through some youth __smiling__ through the pain, __that's __alright, that's okay, __lets__ turn the page" _winking at him with a soft smile.

He couldn't help the double meaning of the words of the song knowing it was something they could both relate to as all they ever had was failed relationships her with Matt and Tyler and him with Katherine and a non existent one with Elena.

He turned on his side facing her as she kept looking at him so he just decided to crash his lips on hers and she kissed him back just as hard tangling a hand in hair and putting her other hand on his hip.

He put his arms around her trying to pull her closer so she just moved straddling him deepening the kiss as he slid his hands under her t-shirt running them up and down her sides as she felt the electricity of his touch on her skin feeling like she was fire.

She pulled back pulling her t-shirt off over her head letting it fall on the seat before putting her hands under his t-shirt pulling it off and crashing her lips on his as he softly moaned at her touch.

He couldn't believe just how she was making him feel as he felt the misery he felt inside his whole life instantly evaporate as he got caught up in the moment feeling himself grow hard as she moaned against his lips moving herself slowly against him as their tongues fought for dominance but neither of them faltered.

She slid her hand between their bodies opening his jeans and caressed him which caused him to moan some more as he couldn't believe just how much he was losing control as he was always the one to take the lead but it was nice for someone to take control for a change.

She pulled back opening her jeans sliding out of them as he pushed his own jeans down to his ankles and she smirked when she looked down at his bulge as the memories of being with him when she was human flooded her mind causing her to softly bite her lip.

She looked up at him taking off her bra to which he just winked at her with a cocky smirk so she just crashed her lips on his pushing herself against him as he put his hands on her hips.

She kept her lips on his taking one of his hands in hers sliding it down her abdomen in between her legs softly caressing her folds to which he moaned again at just how wet she was and she softly smiled noticing just how much of an affect she had on him.

But he didn't know the effect he always had on her as she let go of his hand sliding him into her as she started to move against him in a slow movement as they both grew breathless.

As they got closer to their climax he put his hands on her hips pushing her down harder on him as she leaned forward telling him to bite her and when he bit down on her neck she bit him driving each other over the edge into a whiteout.

She rested her head against his shoulder getting her breath back as he just let his head fall back on the seat thinking it was the best fuck he ever had in his whole life but he didn't know she also thought the same thing about him.

They sat in the same position in comfortable silence for a few minutes before she leaned back resting her forearms on either side of his head to look at him with his eyes closed moving a strand of hair thinking he looked so peaceful but she knew beneath the surface it was a whole different world that he hid from everyone.

But she knew it was there as even when she was human she would catch glimpses of the Damon no one ever got to see and when she turned into a vampire and got caught up in the whole Elena mess she noticed just how he always seemed to look hurt and broken just the way she always did.

He knew she was looking at him but just kept his eyes closed waiting for her to get off him and freak out but she didn't and it surprised him to no end.

It was then he realized he didn't feel anything for Elena anymore but he wasn't gonna put his heart on the line to Caroline for her to reject him so he would wait for her to make the first move and if tonight was anything to go by she definitely wasn't afraid to make the first move.

He was done with the way Elena treated him and more or less told him he should be like Stefan but he just told her he wasn't Stefan but with Caroline she accepted him for who he was and it was something he never had in his whole life even when he was human.

He opened his eyes to see her looking at him intensively as she softly spoke "_can I tell you something" _with a soft genuine expression as he nodded his head signaling that she could say it as he felt she just needed to say it.

She swallowed a lump in her throat before softly adding "_Elena doesn't deserve you" _as he furrowed his eyebrows slightly wondering where she was going with this but decided to not say anything but was surprised at how genuine she was.

She continued "_I see the way Elena treats you, uses you and manipulates you to get what she wants, I see the way she tells you that you will never be good enough for her and I hate it so much. I see the little flirty looks she gives you when she thinks no one is looking and then she tells you she hates you, will never love you and that it will always be Stefan and then I see the way you look at her when she runs to Stefan and you look so broken and it kills you inside because you love her so much but she always tears you down telling you how unworthy you are, how you will do anything for her because you love her" _as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

She continued "_You think I don't notice things but I do because everyone is so busy looking at Elena they don't see me but I see everything and I see how much it kills you every time she throws some hurtful comment in your face or flaunts Stefan in front of you" _falling silent.

He silently looked at her before slowly blinking hating himself for being so transparent since he thought he had everyone fooled and he did but it was Caroline who seen through every defense he put up to show the world.

He looked up at the sky wanting to kill someone as a whisper in his mind told him to just flip the switch but he found he didn't want to at least not here with Caroline as she wasn't saying it to be mean but he knew she was right in what she said he just never had anyone say it to him and confirm the way Elena treated him.

She was surprised at his reaction of falling silent as she was expecting him to want to kill her but instead he just groaned in defeat running a hand through his hair in frustration as he looked at her with an expression full of pain and hurt as she never seen him look so lost.

She felt a part of herself die as she knew what it was like to be no one's choice but the look in his eyes just made her want to rip the world apart to make him feel better as she realized she would do anything for him and she meant anything including kill just to get rid of the look in his eyes.

She knew right then she still had feelings for him but she wouldn't push it and let him make the move and was broken from her thoughts as he spoke "_I don't love Elena anymore" _looking at her.

He added "_I mean I thought I did but lately I've been wondering if she didn't look like Katherine, I wouldn't want anything to do with her, I think I was so broken when Katherine wasn't in the tomb and she was there, she looked just like Katherine and then I think I saw Elena as a better version of Katherine, a more human version_" shaking his head looking down.

He added "_I don't know, but I just know I don't love her, I thought I did and maybe she is right in that I'm not capable of love, I'm just a monster, a self serving psychopath with no redeeming qualities" _in slight frustration.

Caroline really wanted to kill Elena right now for saying that to him as she softly replied "_she was just your rebound and don't listen to anything she tells you and let me tell you something about her" _with anger growing in her voice.

She added "_Elena is such a manipulative bitch, everyone thinks she's perfect but let me tell you she's worse then Katherine, at least with Katherine she never denies who she is but Elena is a two faced backstabbing bitch" _as he looked at her.

She added "_this might sound familiar but Elena took everything I ever had, any boyfriend I had she would come and steal him, even you just because she couldn't bear the thought of someone wanting me over her" _not hiding the hurt from her voice and her eyes.

Damon was surprised she included him in that sentence softly adding "_what do you mean me" _with a surprised expression.

She replied "_when I was human and was going out with you she got all jealous and warned me to stay away from you, that you were hers and then after I turned if I came to the house wanting to talk to you she would tell me you weren't there but I could hear you upstairs or talking to Stefan and when I came to see you that night when I found out Tyler bit you when it should have been me she wouldn't let me see you and said it was my fault you got bitten but she failed to realize I already knew that and I still blame myself for it and she also told me she only stayed with you because she felt guily for slamming the door in your face that morning and she only kissed you because you were meant to die" _looking at him intensively.

Damon didn't hide the hurt in his eyes replying sarcastically _"I knew it was only a pity kiss, so much for liking me the way I am" _rolling his eyes before adding seriously "_it wasn't your fault I got bitten, I wouldn't have pushed you out of the way if I didn't want to and she had no right to say all that to you and I'm glad you came even if I never got to see you because it was nice to know someone genuinely cared"_ with a serious expression.

A silence fell as the both hated they way the mood turned so serious as they both realized they hadn't fed all day and Damon he didn't want to really talk about it anymore and she also hated herself for saying so much to him.

She was glad when he quipped "_I think there is a camping site not far from here, wanna go hunting" _and she told him she did, feeling relieved the normal expression he normally wore was back as she got off him and they both got dressed and went hunting for some campers.

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><p>They walked for a few miles before coming across some campers and fed on them before compelling them to not remember anything before they went back to the car in silence as he put his arm over her shoulder to which she put her arm around his back resting her hand on his hip.<p>

They got back to the car and switched their phones on and waited until all the messages and missed calls popped up on the screen as Damon told her Stefan called him fifty times and left fifty messages and Elena left nearly the same amount demanding to know where he was and what he was doing with Caroline which made her laugh.

She told him that Stefan and Elena had called her fifty times and left fifty messages telling her to call them and they would come and get her if she was in trouble and if Damon was making her do things she didn't want to do.

Damon rolled his eyes as Caroline deleted the messages muttering "_if only they seen us an hour ago because I don't think the backseat quickie was something I didn't want to do" _winking at him while grinning at him as he just laughed at her comment.

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><p>They had enough fun here and decided to go back to Mystic Falls just to annoy Elena and Stefan who they nicknamed the broody twosome, well it was more Caroline but Damon said it was better then any of the names he ever came up with so the nickname stuck.<p>

They took turns driving across the country for the next few days stopping at bars for drinks, some car sex along with some compelled human snacks and human food taking their time in getting back to Mystic Falls laughing at the way Stefan and Elena were still leaving messages after a week.

They had both become really good friends with extra benefits and admitted it to each other the day before and when they got past the Mystic Falls sign Caroline rolled her eyes and Damon felt her pain as he wondered why they didn't just go the other direction.

He took her hand in his looking at her quipping "_we agreed, we can do this Caroline, I told you that I like you and I'm over Elena I don't want her anymore and I'm going to point that out to her" _as she just shook her head silently giving him a soft smile.

They got to the boarding house just before dark and Damon turned off the engine putting the keys in his pocket and got out of the car standing in front of Caroline who was leaning against the closed door on her side to which Damon pushed her against it with his body putting his hands either side of her as she put her arms around his lower back crashing her lips on his to which he deepened the kiss.

She felt him grind against her letting her know just how much he wanted her there and then but the moment was ruined when they heard someone behind them clearing their throat.

Damon sarcastically quipped between kissing her "_do you think if we ignore them they will go away" _to which she let out a soft laugh.

She looked at Damon but noticed Stefan and Elena behind him glaring at them as she quipped "_nope, the broody twosome are still here" _to which he groaned letting his head fall on her shoulder in defeat wishing they didn't come back but it was too late now.

Caroline hugged him but none of them noticed the glare of jealousy coming from Elena who hated the way Damon and Caroline were so physical and comfortable with each other as she seemed to be whispering something into his ear that only Damon could hear but they all could hear his muffled laughs.

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><p><strong>thank you for reading. the stuff about route 66 and the grand canyone is accurate too.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: thank you for your reviews and alerts it means a lot. I know I said there would be less drama and it would be a while until my next update but it didn't happen. Caroline and Damon hijacked the story and I couldn't stop thinking about it so I just had to write it which is why I've got this chapter written so quickly. It may be a little out of character too so enjoy.**

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><p>Damon could feel Elena's eyes burning into his back but he didn't care especially since Caroline was whispering so low only he could hear what she would do to him there and then if they didn't have an audience.<p>

Caroline looked over at Elena in the corner of her eyes and she was glad Elena was so jealous since she knew for sure Damon didn't want anything to do with Elena anymore and finally someone had chosen her over Elena or at least she thought so but she wasn't going to think about the negative.

Damon leaned back looking at her doing the eye thing before crashing his lips on hers deepening the kiss before pulling back taking her hand in his telling her "_come on" _turning and walking past Elena and Stefan into the house.

Elena kept glaring at them but Damon didn't look at her walking past her and Caroline also ignored them as she walked beside Damon going into the house into the living area as she sat down in one of the armchairs.

They both could hear Stefan and Elena arguing about why they ignored her as he went down to the cellar getting two blood bags and heating them up before coming back into the room sitting beside Caroline handing her a blood bag.

Damon was already sipping from the blood bag as Caroline quipped "_you know what, Elena doesn't even deserve Stefan and Katherine is a picnic compared to Elena" _before drinking from the blood bag as Damon agreed with her as he would rather have to put up with Katherine then Elena any day of the week much to his surprise.

Caroline wondered where Katherine was and was about to ask Damon but didn't get the chance since Elena came storming into the room demanding to know where they were as she nearly screamed "_where were you and what were you doing with Caroline for a whole week" _in disgust glaring at Damon.

Damon coldly smirked at her while sipping the blood bag before he retorted sarcastically "_oh you know places to go and people to kill stuff like that" _as Caroline just about held back a laugh as Damon threw his arm around her finishing off the blood bag throwing it on the table loving Elena's discomfort.

He hated Elena so much as he remembered her attitude of her telling him he couldn't feed on people or kill them in this town and around her but he just told her it wasn't anything he hadn't done before as she looked at him with a disgusted expression.

He just bitterly told her "_why do you care Elena, you said it would always be Stefan but yet you pay more attention to me then your own boyfriend" _coldly glaring at her for not getting that he was a vampire.

Elena's jaw slightly dropped as he added "_and so what if I kill people because last time I checked I was still a vampire__" _trying to get his point across as he thought she was so fucking stupid to think he was anything else.

Elena scoffed in disgust at both Caroline and Damon as she retorted "_but you both don't have to act like one" _firmly to which he spat back "_I am not Stefan so how about you stop trying to turn me into him__" _really wanting to kill her on the spot.

Caroline added "_you already have Stefan whipped so leave Damon alone and considering you know nothing about him you have no right to judge" _glaring at her as she finished off her blood bag.

Elena retorted "_you cant kill people, not around me and at least while you know me" _as Caroline raised her eyebrow in disbelief retorting "_its not fucking twilight Elena" _glaring coldly at her.

Damon was ecstatic Caroline said what she did and was more surprised as she continued "_we're vampires, we live in the real world where we burn in the sun and we feed on human blood incase you didn't get the memo" _not hiding the anger and sarcasm from her voice as Elena just looked shocked.

Elena stuttered replying "_what's that supposed to mean Caroline" _looking at her as if she didn't have a clue just what a vampire was and did which was feed on humans.

Damon rolled his eyes wondering how he ever had feelings for her along with thinking she was also stupid as Elena continued "_Caroline this isn't you, Damon's turned you into this" _as Damon and Caroline rolled their eyes while Stefan just stood silently beside Elena.

Caroline retorted "_no Elena he didn't, I'm quite capable of making my own decisions and I think I know Damon a lot better then you do considering I've spent a two weeks with him but you practically run out of the room when he walks into one so don't you stand there and pretend to make out that he's worse then Stefan when he's a ripper"_ coldly glaring at Elena.

Caroline glanced over at Stefan thinking she should apologize but she decided not to since she knew what she said was true and from what Damon told her about Stefan being a ripper she knew Stefan had no right to judge her or Damon for anything since they never killed anyone the way he did.

Elena hated the Damon wanted anything to do with Caroline bitterly retorting "_but Caroline he's dangerous you know he's just using you right I mean compelled you for sex and fed on you, he more or less raped you" _glaring at Caroline.

Damon tensed resisting the urge to rip her throat out for saying what she did and he also never felt so hurt by somebody's words in his whole life considering he had killed people like that because he hated them so much and wanted to give them what they deserved and for Elena to say what she did just proved she didn't know anything about him at all.

Damon coldly glared at Elena completely speechless that she would think he would do what she was suggesting before getting up walking over to the table picking up a bottle of bourbon as Stefan tried to talk to him but he dismissed him with a wave of his hand walking out of the room walking up the stairs to his room and slamming the door behind him.

Damon was curious to what Caroline would say as Caroline snapped and before Elena knew it she was pinned to the wall by her throat as Caroline let her face change hissing "_for your information Damon only compelled me to not tell anyone he was a vampire everything else I did willingly and it was me that went after Damon not the other way around" _tightening her grip on Elena's throat.

Elena was gasping for air but Caroline didn't care and she was so enraged at what Elena said that she if Stefan wasn't there she really would have killed her.

Stefan put his hand on Caroline's shoulder asking "_Caroline let her go she's not worth it, if you kill her you will regret it" _in a soft voice.

Caroline replied "_no I wont" _still glaring at Elena.

Caroline knew Stefan could easily pull her off Elena but she didn't care as she added "_you know what Elena your just jealous I had Damon before you, and don't think for a second I don't see those little flirty looks you give Damon and then you tell him it will always be Stefan when he makes a move on you" _bashing her head into the wall angrily.

She felt the anger get more intense as she spat "_you don't deserve Damon because you will never accept him for who he is, you want him to be Stefan and he's not Stefan and he doesn't need to change because you only want him once he fits into what you think he should be" _bashing her head into the wall again as the smell of fresh blood was in the air even when Stefan was telling her to let Elena go.

Before she knew it Stefan pulled her off Elena throwing her back across the room angrily retorting "_I said let her go" _glaring at Caroline as she got up onto her feet.

Stefan was picking Elena up of the floor as Caroline shook her head retorting "_you know what Stefan, Elena doesn't deserve you either but considering you pretty much hate Damon too then you both of you are perfect for each other" _before walking out of the room.

Before she was out of sight Caroline turned adding "_and Stefan" _as he looked up at her adding " _she wont turn for you, she told me that much necause she hates vampires and I can tell you if I was still human I would turn for Damon in a heartbeat, can Elena say the same for you" _raising her eyebrow glaring at them before leaving the room completely.

* * *

><p>Damon was lying in the middle of the bed with his back against the headboard drinking from the bottle listening to what was happening down stairs not believing that Caroline defended him the way she did.<p>

He also couldn't believe Elena would say what she did and it was the most hurtful and without a doubt the worst thing that had ever been said about him and he couldn't help a small smile at Caroline so viciously defending him and he wasn't expecting her to say she would turn for him if she was still human.

He was broken from his reverie as Caroline came into the room looking at him with a soft smile closing the door behind her before getting onto the bed and sitting beside him asking "_you okay" _as he just shrugged his shoulder still looking down at the bottle between his legs.

He looked up at her and all she saw was nothing but hurt in his expression and pain in his eyes so she put her arms around him pulling him into her to which he leaned into her resting his head against her shoulder as Caroline mumbled "_she was lucky Stefan was there or I would have killed her for saying what she did" _looking off to the side tangling her fingers in his hair.

Damon mumbled "_I cant believe she said that" _softly.

Caroline replied "_oh I can and its not true what she said, I remember everything and you only compelled me not to tell anyone you were a vampire" _as he leaned back to look at her.

He really didn't want to be on his own furrowing his eyebrows adding "_will you stay with me tonight" _hoping she would but wouldn't blame her if she didn't as she noticed a slight look of vulnerability in his eyes telling him she would stay as the lay on the bed.

Caroline noticed the television in the corner figuring he didn't wanna talk so she got up and put on one of his True Blood DVD's and when she turned around she noticed he was in under the covers so she got undressed putting on his t-shirt getting in beside him putting her arms around him.

Caroline was loving True Blood and was really into it but Damon was lying with his head on her shoulder with her arms around him still lost in thought as he softly whispered so low only she could hear it "_why would she say that Caroline" _desperate for some answers not moving his head off her shoulder.

Caroline thought about it before softly replying "because_ she's a hurtful spiteful bitch that's why and its not true what she said because if you remember I practically jumped you that night I met you" _pushing against him.

He let out a small laugh replying "_that you did" _with sarcasm as she sighed in relief that he was back to his normal sarcastic funny self.

* * *

><p>Downstairs Stefan couldn't believe Elena said what she did about Damon as he angrily spoke "<em>you shouldn't have said that about Damon" <em>glaring at her.

She retorted "_its true and you know it" _not seeing why Stefan was so pissed off with her.

Elena was afraid he would break up with her and if she couldn't have Damon then she would have Stefan so she turned on the tears saying that Caroline told her he did as she knew Stefan always thought the worst of Damon so used it to her advantage by lying some more figuring he would never find out she was lying.

It worked because Stefan was now hugging her and telling her it was okay as Elena smiled to herself against his shoulder knowing she had won this one but she was determined to make Damon see he didn't want Caroline that he still wanted her.

She thought there was no way Caroline was getting Damon as he was hers and no one else's just like she took everything else from Caroline her whole life as Elena hated other people especially Caroline having what she wanted and Damon was one of them.

* * *

><p>A few nights later Damon and Caroline were in the grill after being out of town all day avoiding Elena and Stefan successfully since Stefan was always over in Elena's and they were hardly in the boarding house but they both knew Elena would be back eventually.<p>

They were playing pool and drinking bourbon and much to Damon's surprise Caroline really gave him a run for his money since she could play really well and even beat him a few times but he always maintained he just let her win even thought they both knew it wasn't true.

It wasn't long before they looked up to see Stefan and Elena walking in the door and they both decided to rub it in Elena's face a lot as when Caroline took her shot Damon would lean against her running his hands over her shoulders and down her back trying but failing to distract her.

Caroline would push against him while laughing whenever they felt Elena glaring over at them with jealousy radiating from her that they were sure even the humans in the room could sense it.

Caroline got sick of Elena constantly looking over at Damon when she should be talking to Stefan so when she felt Elena's eyes on her she turned facing Damon crashing her lips on his which he returned knowing the reason Caroline was doing it but he loved her possessiveness over him at the same time.

Damon pushed her against the table running his hand up and down her sides crashing his lips on hers which she deepened the kiss before whispering "_your so bad" _knowing Elena was looking over at them.

Damon looked at her doing the eye thing she loved putting his hands on each side of her on the pool table seductively quipping "_I may be bad but I'm perfectly good at it" _crashing his lips on hers as she moaned against him thinking only he could get away with a line like that.

Caroline pulled back replying "_next you will be saying chains and whips excite you" _laughing at him.

He smirked telling her "_only one way to find out" _winking at her while pushing himself against her letting her feel just how hard he was.

Damon was pissed off that there was people here as he wanted her here and now and there was way too many people to compel and was surprised when Caroline softly quipped "_it's a shame we cant compel everyone here to leave because I want to throw you on the pool table fuck you like there's no tomorrow" _with pure seduction in her voice.

Damon swallowed a lump in his throat which she found funny as Damon was never one to be lost for words especially when it came to sex but then there was a first time for everything.

She slightly laughed before taking his hand in hers and leading him towards the door to which he happily followed and they ignored Elena even when she tried to talk to Damon he walked straight past her keeping his eyes on Caroline never even acknowledging Elena's presence.

Elena sat back down beside Stefan angrily asking him why Damon was ignoring her but he told her he didn't know why Damon done anything and that it wasn't her business what him and Caroline were doing.

* * *

><p>A few days later Damon and Caroline were in the living area sitting on the sofa as Caroline lay across him with her head on the armrest drinking from a blood bag with Damon telling her that the last few weeks was the best fun he ever had in a long time and she told him it was the same for her too.<p>

They had been avoiding Stefan and Elena by walking out of the room whenever the broody twosome came to lecture them but luckily for Damon and Caroline Stefan and Elena had gone out of town for a few weeks so they stayed in Damon's house getting to know each other more intimately.

She looked up at him remembering that even when she was human she always saw a side to him the no one else ever saw probably because they didn't look hard enough.

But she did look hard enough and it was why she never thought he was what people made him out to be whispering "_you can be sweet when you want to be" _softly smiling at him to which he glared at her narrowing his eyes finishing off his blood bag.

She laughed at him as she finished the rest of the blood bag before sitting upright and putting both the empty bags on the table behind the sofa before straddling him quipping "_I mean it" _with a serious expression.

He looked at her with slight confusion replying "_you're wrong" _as she shook her head replying "_that's what you want everyone including me to think but like I said before everyone has their own opinion of you but I see differently" _looking at him intensively.

He swallowed the lump in his throat hating that he let her get so close to him even when she was human as he thought of ways to get her to leave and she noticed him tensing up thinking she should have kept her mouth shut but it was a bit late now, not that she cared.

* * *

><p>Three weeks had passed since Stefan took Elena on holiday to get her away from antagonizing Damon and Caroline all the time much to their enjoyment.<p>

Damon and Caroline spent the time having crazy vampire sex all over the house and drinking blood and bourbon not even caring if Stefan and Elena were alive or dead or even coming back to Mystic Falls.

They both stayed in the house and were never seen in public together as they didn't want people to know about them as they knew people didn't exactly like Damon but Caroline didn't care what everyone thought.

Caroline wanted everyone to know she was with Damon but he wanted to keep it quiet just incase things ended badly between them and Bonnie set his ass on fire.

Damon explained he didn't want to tell anyone because he want to make sure it was real before he told people about them and while she hated it she agreed to keep it quiet.

Caroline woke up in his bed looking at the sunlight streaming in the window to find Damon looking at her silently as he wondered just how he managed to enjoy the last month with Caroline even if they were hiding what they had in secret.

She silently looked at him wondering just why exactly they were hiding but she knew he had his reasons so she didn't push it plus she also enjoyed the secrecy end of it as she found it funny when one of them would walk into the grill to find the other at the bar.

They would talk so low no human could hear them and then make their excuses to leave and meet outside and no one made the connection when to two of them would leave the bar at the same time.

When they would meet outside they couldn't keep their hands off each other and would go hunting or to a bar out of town or just back to the boarding house.

She looked at him intensively as he lightly whispered "_I think we should tell people" _with a serious expression.

She replied "_if you want but what's changed" _as he thought about it.

He remained silent before he finally replied "_the reason I didn't want to say anything was I wanted to make sure what we had was real and I know I want you" _never taking his eyes off hers.

He felt like he just opened everything to her and was waiting for her to tell him she didn't feel the same way as she replied "_it was and is real for me and I'm not sure what it was for you but I know I want you Damon and I don't care who knows it and if they don't like it they can go piss off" _giving a soft smile.

He couldn't believe she just said she wanted him but he was still afraid to let her in completely and he knew she was too considering their history but he was just glad she was willing to give him a chance.

He couldn't help the smile on his face and she knew it was a genuine one and not a sarcastic smile he always used as she crashed her lips on his as he pulled her closer deepening the kiss.

She tangled her hand in his hair rolling him over to straddle him pushing herself down on him feeling just how much he wanted her as he let out a soft moan.

She kissed along his neckline and down over his chest and abdomen grazing her fangs over his chest as he moaned some more hating the way she had this effect on him but he also loved it at the same time as no one had ever made him feel like this.

She loved the way she always made him come undone and that he let her see it as she wondered did he know about the effect he had on her but then he probably did considering he always had that cocky grim permanently on his face when he was in her position.

He closed his eyes in pleasure so she decided to play him at his own game just stopping what she was doing and using her speed she got off the bed moving to the shower and turning it on letting the water fall over her.

He was so lost in what she was doing when he heard the shower and looked up to see her looking at him with a smirk to rival his own and winked at him and before she knew it he had her pinned to the wall in the shower crashing his lips on hers.

He ran his hands up and down her sides as they both fought for dominance but neither of them faltered as she pulled him closer if that was possible to which he pushed himself against her letting her know just what she started.

He whispered in between breaths "_I believe you have something to finish" _winking at her as she moved her hand in between their wet bodies and caressing his bulge as he softly moaned under her touch.

He moved against her kissing along her neckline before crashing his lips on hers as she moaned into his kisses wrapping her legs around his waist tangling her fingers in his hair moaning his name as he talked dirty to her.

He pushed himself into her as she started moving against him letting her face change which only turned him on ever more as he felt his own face change softly moaning her name.

She pushed herself down on him harder each time as she felt herself coming undone as he drove them both over the edge. She wasted no time in kissing him again to which he returned and before she knew it she was lying on the bed with him on top of her still inside her as he kissed along her neckline as she ran her hands down his sides resting them on his hips moaning for him to go faster and he didn't need telling twice.

She flipped their positions straddling him as she moved faster against him to which he put his hands on her hips pushing her down harder each time as she never felt glad she had vampire stamina.

He sat up straight changing the angle as she gripped his shoulder with her hands pulling him closer as the bit into each others necks driving each other over the edge before falling back on the bed.

She lay on top of him not moving as he wrapped his arms around her never wanting to let her go and she didn't want him to either as she realized just how much it would break her if he left her and she realized she was in love with him and always was but she would wait for him to tell her first.

They remained in silence as he wondered just what would happen if she ever left him and he knew then that he wanted her forever and that he was in love with her but it scared him so much he couldn't go down that road again not after Katherine and Elena so he would wait for her to say something.

* * *

><p>Later on they were down stairs drinking some blood on the sofa when they heard Stefan and Elena come through the front door as Damon looked at Caroline rolling his eyes as she muttered "<em>the broody twosome are home" <em>sipping at the blood in the glass.

Damon noticed the hurt in her voice putting his arm over her shoulder and while he knew that she knew he didn't want anything to do with Elena anymore he knew they both enjoyed the last few weeks they had alone.

They both heard Elena go upstairs as Stefan walked into the room surprised to see Caroline and Damon sitting so close together walking over to the drinks table quipping "_so you towo an item now" _pouring himself a drink.

Damon quickly retorted "_and so what if we are" _glaring at Stefan who tossed back a drink thinking about his answer.

Stefan genuinely replied "_I'm glad you two are together and don't screw it up this time Damon" _not adding how he was glad to see Damon finally happy and he did look happy with Caroline.

Stefan poured himself another drink and one for Caroline and Damon before walking over to them handing them both a glass and sitting down in the other chair.

Damon was about to say something but never got the chance as Elena came into the room and her jaw dropped when she saw the way Damon had his arm around Caroline and she was leaning into him as they both were drinking bourbon and two empty blood bags lying on the table.

Even though she had been gone for a month with Stefan she secretly hoped that Damon would have gotten fed up with Caroline and ditched her leaving the way clear for her to make her move on Damon. E

lena was furious Caroline was still here as she interjected "_what are you doing here Caroline" _while going over sitting beside Stefan her anger at Caroline's presence not going unnoticed as Elena glared at them.

Caroline was about to say something but never got the chance as Damon lightly quipped "_considering she's my girlfriend that's why she's here not that its any of your business" _smirking at her with a cold glare.

Caroline froze at his words as she thought her and Damon were just a thing but obviously he thought more of her but a small part of her wondered was he just saying it to shut Elena up but she really hoped he was being serious.

Elena glared at Caroline retorting "_I thought you had more self respect then that Caroline considering what he did to you when you were human or are you just that much of a victim" _as Caroline just tossed back a drink feeling Damon's tense grip on her shoulder.

Caroline couldn't believe Elena was still throwing this in her face and neither could Damon who just felt the urge to rip her throat out as Elena continued her rant against them both while Stefan just looked completely surprised at Elena's jealousy.

Stefan watched the scene unfold in front of him realizing that Elena's bad reaction to Caroline and Damon being together was going overboard for someone who told him she didn't want Damon but he still told himself Elena didn't want his brother.

Elena continued "_you know he's only using you right, like have you not figured that out yet, I know him better then you do so believe me when I tell you he's using you" _raising her eyebrow hoping Caroline would leave Damon for good.

Caroline wasn't in the mood for this and just got up looking at Stefan replying "_Stefan have you not figured out she wants Damon too, her obviousness is pathetic as it is tragic" _with sarcasm looking at Elena in disgust before leaving the room as Damon glared at Stefan and Elena before getting up and following Caroline out of the house.

Elena scoffed in disgust looking at Stefan waiting for him to tell her that she was right in that she knew Damon better then Caroline but it never happened as a tense silence fell in the room.

Stefan shook his head replying "_Caroline was right Elena she spent over a month with Damon so she does know him better then you do and I've known my brother my whole life and he would never do that and for you to say that about him was the most you could ever hurt him, way more then Katherine ever did__" _as Elena sat with her mouth slightly open.

Elena bitterly retorted "_I__'__m not Katherine so don__'__t compare me to her__"_glaring at Stefan who shook his head before replying "_not yet your not but keep going the way you are and you will be" _before getting up and leaving the house to go hunting in the forest.

Elena was mad that Damon wanted Caroline and she hated it as he was hers so she left the house and went to the grill still refusing to believe Damon had moved on and didn't want her anymore.

* * *

><p>Caroline was sitting in one of the booths in the grill and Damon was at the bar ordering them drinks when Elena walked in and marched straight over to Caroline never seeing Damon at the bar.<p>

Caroline felt the anger coming of Elena in waves as she stood in front of her nicely asking "_can we talk" _looking at Caroline who really wished she would go away.

Caroline replied "_what is your problem Elena why cant you just be happy, your meant to be with Stefan, remember him but yet your going after Damon when he doesn't want you"_ glaring at Elena.

Caroline continued "_you were the same when I was human and was with Damon and you were the same when he was with Rose and Andie" _as Elena narrowed her eyes.

Elena bitterly retorted "_he's mine and he loves me not you and he's still using you I'm just trying to protect you" _never noticing Damon was right behind her.

Damon told her "_I'm over you Elena so stay the hell away from me before I rip your throat out" _as she turned to face him he added "_and for the record I was never yours" _walking around her and sitting beside Caroline as Elena glared at them before leaving the grill.

Elena walked home forming a plan to get Damon back and she would take a leave out of Katherine's both by seducing both brothers. She wanted them both and she was going to have both of them and she didn't care if they ended up hating each other even more.

* * *

><p>A few nights later Damon was at in the boarding house on his own sitting on the sofa reading a book and drinking a glass of bourbon. Stefan was out hunting and Caroline wanted to spend some time with her mom as they were making an effort to spend time with each other whenever her mother was off work.<p>

Damon was so caught up in reading his book he never heard the front door opening and closing which surprised him but then he was at home he had no reason to be off guard. He heard footsteps and looked up expecting it to be Stefan and was ready with a quip about him terrorizing the local wildlife but it wasn't Stefan it was Katherine but he hadn't figured out it was Elena pretending to be Katherine.

* * *

><p><strong>thanks for reading.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: thank you for the reviews and alerts.**

* * *

><p>He couldn't believe Katherine was standing front of him as he quipped "<em>don<em>_'__t you have people to annoy somewhere else__" _rolling his eyes hearing the heartbeat and not missing that it was Elena pretending to be Katherine but decided to play along thinking Elena was so stupid to think her plan would work.

He turned his attention back to his book as Elena purred "_oh come on Damon you know you want me__"_as Damon couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with her and she was seriously fucking deluded to think she could get him by pretending she was Katherine.

While he was surprised she would go to these lengths he actually felt sick that it was Elena pretending to be Katherine considering if she knew anything about him it would be that he hated Katherine.

He even thought she was sick for doing it as she knew he didn't want Katherine anymore but damn Elena just couldn't take the hint that he didn't want her and he was in no mood to play her games.

Elena sauntered over to the chair he was sitting on still thinking he thought she was Katherine.

She sat beside him giving flirty looks and was about to speak but didn't get the chance as he angrily spoke "_what do you want Elena this whole Katherine thing isn't you and its pathetic__"_coldly glaring at her.

Elena flinched but regained her composure as she slightly laughed replying "_like I said I know you want me and I want you__" _in a serious voice as he couldn't believe just what she was saying.

He hated that she wanted him now when he was over her and with Caroline but she wanted nothing to do with him when he wanted her and she wouldn't even stay in the same room as him for too long and he couldn't help wonder did she want him as well as Stefan but he just had to ask "_and what about Stefan__"_glaring at her as she softly smiled.

She knew she wanted both of them so she replied "_what he doesn't know wont hurt him and I wont tell if you wont__" _as he shook his head in disbelief at what she just said.

He wondered if he should just rip her throat out but then she was probably on vervain so decided not to along with he thought Caroline was exaggerating but seeing what was in front of him he knew she wasn't exaggerating.

Before he knew it Elena had moved closer and leaned in to kiss him but he pushed her away shouting "_what the fuck Elena__" _standing up and glaring at her in disbelief and anger.

Elena looked up at him mad that never fooled him replying "_I know you love me Damon and I__'__m here you can have me, I love you too I was just scared of my feelings but now your with Caroline I realize that I want you in my life__" _faking sincerity.

Damon didn't believe it for half a second as he coldly retorted "_I don't love you Elena, you were just a rebound for Katherine and if you didn't look like her I probably would have killed you ages ago" _walking over to the drinks table picking up the bottle of bourbon and drinking straight from the bottle.

Elena's jaw slightly dropped as she wasn't expecting this reaction as he added "_you only want me because I'm with Caroline and even worse you want Stefan as well and I'm not going through that again, not this time and I'm not gonna put him through it ether" _before tossing back a drink from the bottle.

Elena stuttered "_that's not true, I don't care your with Caroline but your mine Damon and I don't want anyone else having you" _as he shook his head in disbelief at her hypocrisy.

Damon retorted "_so I'm not allowed have anyone else, even Katherine isn't that bad, in fact Katherine wouldn't do that she would just be upfront about it but not you" _really wishing Stefan would walk in just to see how manipulative Elena really was.

Elena angrily retorted "_I'm not Katherine and I'm not scared of you Damon so you can drop the threats" _as Damon scoffed in disbelief replying "_yeah right, your even worse then Katherine, in fact you would even put her to shame, now get the fuck out of my house before I kill you" _threateningly with a cold glare.

Elena pulled herself together trying to say something else but opted for leaving as she knew Damon was one to follow through in his threats and Damon watched her leave hating the way her heart rate skyrocketed when she said she wasn't scared of him.

He knew she was lying and it hurt him that she was scared of him but lied to him just to get what she wanted.

It just proved to him that she didn't know him at all if she thought every negative thing she did about him as he remembered even when Caroline was human she wasn't scared of him even though she was freaked out at first when she found out he was a vampire but she got used to it and wasn't afraid of him.

Then he thought if he should tell Caroline but he knew she was so insecure when it came to Elena as she told him everyone always chose Elena over her and he knew what that was like but he knew if it was the other way around he would want her to tell him so he decided her would tell her about Elena's stunt tomorrow as he didn't want to disturb her time with her mother.

He also knew she would rather be told by him then hear it from Elena who would for sure twist it around to make her look the innocent party. He sat back down with the bottle drinking from it as he wondered just why the hell Elena was interested in him now but he knew right well it was cos he wanted nothing to do with her anymore.

* * *

><p>The next day Caroline couldn't wait to see Damon as it was the longest they had been away from each other since the road trip and walked into the boarding house with a big grin on her face seeing Damon sitting on the armchair with a glass of blood but never noticing just how tense he looked.<p>

He thought about saying nothing as a whisper in the back of his mind told him to tell her because Elena would for sure, only she would tell Caroline that it was Damon that came onto her and that wasn't an option so he was telling Caroline right now.

She sat on his lap throwing her legs over the side of the chair putting her arm behind his neck kissing him on the lips which he returned but knew if he didn't say it now he never would and he wasn't one to lie about things.

Caroline noticed he seemed tense pulling back to look at him asking "_are you okay" _curiously as took the glass out of his hand taking a sip before handing it back to him.

He licked his lips replying "_I need to tell you something" _as she wondered was this the moment he would prove Elena right and tell her he didn't want her anymore that he wanted Elena.

Damon looked at her continuing "_Elena came over last night pretending to be Katherine and made a move on me and tried to kiss me but I pushed her away and told her to get out" _as Caroline just silently nodded at him thinking she was going to kill Elena slowly and painfully.

He paused before adding "_she told me she wants me as well as Stefan and she thinks I'm just using you so she told me she loved me so I told her I don't love her anymore and I only want you" _not hiding the sincerity in his voice while expecting her to just get up and walk out of the house telling him to never talk to her again and he wouldn't blame her if she did.

Caroline hated that Elena was once again trying to ruin everything in her life as she couldn't understand why Elena hated her so much but always pretended to be her friend when she wasn't and to prove it she always done stuff like this to her.

While she knew that Damon didn't love Elena anymore she could stop her damn insecurities coming to the surface and with heightened vampire senses she was feeling even more insecure as she swallowed the lump in her throat looking off to the side.

After a silent few seconds she looked at him replying "_when you left me when I was human it hurt and it took me ages to get over you especially when I found out it was Elena you really wanted so if you want Elena go to her now before you crush me again and I have some chance of getting over you this time around" _trying but failing to hide the brokenness in her voice.

Damon noticed it and hated the way Elena made her so damn insecure but he could understand as everyone always chose Stefan over him as he licked his lips before he genuinely replied _"I meant what I said, I don't want Elena, I want you and you deserve to know what she done" _and nodded her head when she knew he was serious so Damon pulled her in for a hug figuring they really had something in common with being nobody's choice.

Caroline wasn't sure if she believed him but she knew it was her insecurities but she was willing to give him a chance considering he could have just not told her what happened.

Caroline broke the silence "_I'm glad you told me about it" _but didn't tell him that she was still uncertain about him not wanting Elena as she knew that was her problem to work through.

Damon knew she didn't just quite believe him when he said he didn't want Elena as he was also one to hide how he was really feeling so didn't question her but it wouldn't stop him from doing everything he could to make her see she could trust him and didn't want anyone else.

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><p>A week had passed and Elena was still making her advances every chance she got when Damon was alone and it pissed Caroline off to no end the way Elena would just brush up against Damon or letting her hand linger on his arm when Caroline was in the same room as them.<p>

Caroline knew what Elena was doing and so did Damon and it pissed them off to no end but they had the last laugh as it only made them stronger and want each other more since Elena was trying to break them up unsuccessfully.

Caroline couldn't believe Stefan was still clueless especially when Elena would flirt with Damon in the same room as Stefan and thought maybe he didn't want to see it and Caroline hoped one day Stefan would see Elena putting moves on Damon but she knew he would probably still deny it.

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><p>Caroline was on her way over to the boarding house one night and took a shortcut walking through the woods when she sensed Stefan out hunting and went to find him.<p>

It wasn't long before he appeared in front of her asking "_what are you doing out here" _smiling at her adding "_don't tell me your on the bunny diet" _almost laughing.

She laughed replied "_never" _looking at him as he just rolled his eyes whishing he had some control over human blood because hunting for hours was a bore especially when you knew there was blood in the cellar but you couldn't have it without going on a human killing spree.

Stefan told her he was finished and going back to the boarding house so she walked with him as he quipped "_so you and Damon_" looking at her.

She tiredly replied "_save it Stefan, I've had enough from Elena" _but didn't say anymore as he felt kind of bad for giving them so much agro when they came back from the road trip.

Stefan replied "_I didn't mean it like that, I'm glad you are both happy I just wish Elena could see that" _looking at her as she noticed he was genuine in his expression and his voice.

Caroline nodded replying "_you know, Damon isn't really that bad" l_ooking at him.

He replied "_he isn't around you and I haven't seen him like that since we were human" _the hurt in his voice not going unmissed by Caroline.

She looked off to the side but had to know asking "_do you think you will ever be best friends like you were in 1864" _as he looked at her replying "_no too much has happened with Katherine and then Elena, we just about tolerate each other now, in fact this is the longest we've been around each other since we were human" _as she looked up at him in surprise but he was looking at the ground.

She got the sense he didn't want to talk about it as they walked back to the boarding house so she changed the subject and talked about something else.

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><p>They got outside the front door when they heard voices and walked into the house as Caroline knew it was probably Elena with Damon as she knew Damon's presence anywhere so she let Stefan go in front of her to see just what his girlfriend was really like.<p>

She knew it was a horrible way to tell him about it but he would need to see it to believe it as Stefan had walked in with Caroline beside him to see Elena making advances on Damon who looked like he was rather pissed off with the whole thing as he pinned her to the wall with his hand on her throat telling her to go away.

Stefan cleared his throat as Damon looked over at them thinking it was about time his brother saw Elena for the manipulative slut she was as Stefan asked "_what's going on" _curiously.

Damon replied "_I think your girlfriend is confused with the wrong brother" _letting her go before walking over to the drinks table pouring himself a drink and tossing it back.

Elena could see Stefan was starting to see her for what she really was so she turned on the waterworks adding "_it was Damon he wont stop making moves on me" _as Damon rolled his eyes and Caroline glared at Elena.

Caroline had enough as she retorted "_that's a lie and you know it, don't think I don't about you coming over here and telling Damon you want him and love him and you want him and Stefan too because you don't want anyone else to have them" _as Elena looked shocked that Damon told her everything.

Damon was surprised she defended him like that and while it took some convincing due to her trust issues and insecurities she eventually believed him when he said he didn't want Elena anymore after seeing the way Damon was rejecting Elena over the past week.

Elena tried to tell them again that it was all Damon but Stefan wasn't convinced as Caroline told them she knew about Elena's advances since Damon told her about the very first move Elena made on Damon.

Knowing she was caught Elena turned on the water works and accused Damon of compelling her so naturally Stefan believed her or it looked like he did as he said "_I want to talk to Elena alone" _as Damon shook his head in disbelief slamming the glass down as he couldn't get his head around that Stefan was believing all of Elena's lies.

Caroline shook her head in disbelief and was about to tell Stefan some truths about Elena as Damon walked over to her knowing what she was going to say but told her "_your wasting your time, he doesn't wanna hear anything bad about her" _standing beside her.

He walked past her but before she turned to follow him she looked at Stefan telling him "_just so you know, you deserve better then Elena" _before following Damon out of the house.

Stefan glared at Elena who was trying to look like she was all innocent but he seen enough to know what Elena's game was as he thought she was more like Katherine then she cared to admit.

Elena looked at him and went to say something but never got the chance as Stefan spoke "_I never thought I'd say it and I probably didn't want to see it but your worse then Katherine__" _glaring back at her.

Stefan added "_at least Katherine never pretended she was something she wasn't, me and Damon always knew she was playing both of us and she never denied it even when she came back to Mystic Falls but you are something else__" _pointing at her.

Glaring at her he added "_your even worse and yet everyone else sees it but not you, it all makes sense now, did you really think I didn't notice the flirty looks you give to Damon and don__'__t try and deny it Elena, you know you have feelings for him but you only want him if he changes who he is__" _walking over to the drinks table.

He poured a glass of bourbon tossing it back before adding "_I__'__ve had my suspicions for a while but I didn't want to see it but now I see you for what you really are and its not who I fell in love with__" _tossing back another drink.

Elena stuttered "_what are you saying Stefan__"_looking at him.

He replied "_we__'__re over Elena, we__'__re done, I never want to see you again so get out of my house or I might just let Caroline kill you__" _before putting the glass down and leaving the room.

Stefan couldn't believe history had repeated itself only this time Damon had nothing to do with it so he couldn't blame Damon this time so he blamed himself for falling for Elena's lies and seeing something in her that was never there in the first place.

He realized he was probably only with Elena because she looked like Katherine and he felt stupid for not knowing it was a recipe for disaster and should have known better then to fall for Katherine's doppelganger considering Elena was a neon sign for a rebound from Katherine.

* * *

><p>Damon was standing outside the grill waiting for Caroline to come out as she was telling Tyler she was with Damon after Tyler told her he wanted to talk to her so Damon gave them some privacy.<p>

He waited around the corner on the edge of the forest looking at the drunk humans stumbling out the door wanting to feed on them but figured it would be a bad idea since he didn't know if they were on vervain or not so it wasn't worth the risk plus they both had gone out of town to feed fresh earlier.

It was not long before Bonnie was across the road and she spotted him even though he thought he remained hidden but figured she used her witchy powers to find him and rolled his eyes at nothing as he wasn't in the mood to deal with her.

When she got closer he smirked and quipped "_what is it witchy, you ran out of people to judge lately" _his voice dripping with sarcasm and before he knew it he felt all the blood vessels in his head explode as he doubled over in pain before falling on the ground.

Bonnie concentrated on giving him an aneurysm as she spat "_this is for Elena and for taking advantage of her and Caroline, I warned you Damon I would take you down if I have to and Elena told me you and Caroline have been feeding humans" _as he tried to fight the pain to spit something back at her.

She went a step further and set Damon on fire with a spell which Caroline heard when she stepped outside the grill and knew Damon was in danger and ran around the corner to the edge of the forest where she saw Bonnie setting Damon on fire.

She ran at speed over to the pushing Bonnie onto the ground as Damon was able to put the flames out by rolling on the ground thinking he was going to kill that judgey witch bitch once and for all when he got some blood into him.

His burns started to heal but he knew if he hadn't fed earlier he would have been burnt to a crisp right now and was glad Caroline came when she did as she knelt beside yelling at Bonnie.

Bonnie sat up looking at her angrily spitting "_is it true Caroline" _looking at her hoping what she heard wasn't true.

Caroline asked her "_is what true" _wanting to know just what Damon was being accused of now and had a feeling Elena had something to do with it.

Bonnie spat in disgust "_Elena told me you and Damon have been together for over a month and you are both feeding from humans and that Damon wont stop making advances on her and that he compelled her" _coldly glaring at them.

Caroline was so angry she felt like killing Elena herself as she retorted "_and so what if it is and if you really want to know, then yeah me and Damon are together but we don't kill people, we only take what we need"_ as Bonnie's jaw dropped in shock.

Caroline angrily added "_and no Damon didn't make any moves on Elena, it was Elena making moves on Damon and he didn't compel her like she told you he did" _as Damon sat up leaning against her.

Caroline stood up pulling Damon with her who was now fully healed but he still needed blood but that could wait as Bonnie retorted "_you could have anyone Caroline so why him, its his fault you turned" _looking at them in disgust.

Caroline couldn't believe this was being used against her retorting "_really because from what I was told it was you that forced him to give me the blood by telling him he would do it for Elena and don't bring the tomb into this because I was told it was you who tried to get the seal down so Stefan could get out" _raising an eyebrow as Bonnie knew she didn't have a leg to stand on.

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief adding "_you deserve better then him Caroline, he used you and he will do it again just wait and see because people like him never change" _coldly glaring at Damon.

Caroline defensively replied "_I think I know him better then you do so you don't get to stand there and judge" _not hiding the anger in her voice as she felt her anger intensify.

Damon know she was close to losing control and killing someone but he knew she needed to say what she had to say to Bonnie even though he was surprised at the way she was defending him.

Bonnie glared at them shaking her head before replying "_he's changed you Caroline its almost like he's compelled you all over again, its like your brainwashed" _trying to get her point across but it only made Caroline angrier.

Caroline replied "_no he hasn't, I willingly fed off those people and you know what I enjoyed every second of it and I will do it again because I'm a vampire not a human with fangs which is what you and Elena want me and Damon to be" _as fought to keep her face from changing but couldn't stop the red eyes from showing.

Bonnie noticed and quickly reacted by chanting a spell to set Caroline on fire but Damon was faster as he pushed Bonnie to the ground breaking the spell as Caroline couldn't believe her friend tried to set her on fire.

Bonnie got up glaring at them as Caroline spoke "_if you cant accept this Bonnie then we're no longer friends" _hoping Bonnie would accept them as she looked at the witch.

Bonnie remained silent before replying "_I see you've made your choice but I will never accept you and him, I never want to see you again Caroline, we're no longer friends" _with a cold glare before she turned and walked away and when she was out of hearing range she whispered the words of the spell on Caroline's daylight ring to no longer work.

Bonnie was so angry she decided to take the daylight ring off Caroline for choosing Damon over her and she hated it and wanted to make Caroline pay for her choice.

Caroline got so angry she stormed off at speed just wanting to be alone right now but Damon followed at a distance knowing she needed her space but he also knew what she wanted to do so he followed her for a few miles.

Caroline came across a campsite with two people sitting by a fire and she wasted no time in feeding from them until she felt their hearts stop and when she knew they were dead she let them fall to the ground wiping the blood from her lips noticing she didn't feel so angry anymore.

When Damon seen her finish feeding he walked out into the small clearing stopping beside her at the fire as she looked distantly into the flames glad that he gave her the space to do what she needed to do since she sort of knew he would follow her.

She looked over at him whispering "_I hate them, why can they never be happy for me and why are they turning on me" _as he noticed the pain in her eyes and it killed him to see her like this as he moved to stand in front of her pulling her in for a hug which she returned.

They stayed silent for a few minutes before she pulled back looking at the two bodies on the ground as he spoke "_don't feel bad about killing them, it was going happen so it was better them then Elena or bBnnie" _looking at her.

She knew he was right but she didn't feel bad at all replying "_I don't feel bad about it, its our nature to kill, I only wish it was Bonnie and Elena and not them" _looking up at him as he realized just how serious she was and he couldn't help wonder had she flipped the switch.

Damon helped her bury the bodies in the forest and put out the fire before walking back to the boarding house as Damon helped her with her anger and come to terms with everyone turning on her for being with Damon.

* * *

><p>The next day he woke to find her staring at the ceiling and he couldn't help wonder was she starting to regret her decision in choosing him over Bonnie and Elena.<p>

He couldn't stop thinking it so he just said it "_you can leave if you want" _as her head snapped over to look at him quizzically as he added "_I meant if you want you can go apologize and tell them you had a moment of insanity and you've seen reason and kicked my ass to the side" _hoping she wouldn't leave him.

She noticed the pain in his eyes as he thought of her leaving him as she quickly replied with no hesitation "_they can all go to hell, I'm not leaving you" _turning on her side to face him as he felt relieved she didn't want to leave.

They lay in silence sometimes talking about stuff where Caroline told him she would choose him over them all any day and he never felt so happy that someone chose him that he was their first choice.

* * *

><p>After a while they got up and had a shared shower which resulted in shower sex and then got dressed and when Caroline pulled the curtain across the window to let the sunlight she started screaming as she burned in the sunlight.<p>

Damon was cleaning the bathroom when he heard her scream and ran at speed to see her burning and quickly closed over the curtains to block out the sunlight before he picked her up off the floor putting her onto the bed and going to get some blood bags.

When he came back into the room he burns were all healed as he sat beside her handing her a blood bag which she took and started sipping from it knowing Bonnie done something to her ring.

She spoke "_Bonnie must have de-spelled my ring when she told me she never wanted to see me again" _as Damon growled in anger retorting "_I should have killed that bitch when I had the chance" _putting his arm over her shoulders.

Caroline whispered "_what are we gonna do Damon ,I cant go outside anymore" _leaning against him as he told her he knew a witch out of town that might make a ring for her.

After a few minutes he got out of the bed getting his phone and calling the witch he knew out of town as Caroline thought bonnie must really hate her to do something like this and she obviously didn't gamble on Damon having a witch as one of his contacts.

When Damon hung up the phone he told Caroline the witch would be here in a few hours so they went downstairs avoiding the windows so she wouldn't get burned as they went into the living area sitting down and waited for the witch to come and get her a new ring.

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><p>It wasn't long before Stefan came into the room and while he was still his usual broody self he wasn't as bad as he used to be now that he seen for himself just how happy Damon and Caroline both made each other and he felt a lot happier since he had ditched Elena.<p>

Stefan walked over to the opposite chair sitting down noticing they both looked too quiet even for them as he spoke "_what happened" _knowing something went down and he missed it all.

Caroline was staring off into space as Damon told Stefan that Bonnie set him on fire outside the grill last night and then tried to set Caroline on fire and made her choose between him and her and Elena.

He also added that Caroline chose Damon so Bonnie told her she never wanted to see her again and walked away and then this morning Caroline's ring wasn't working and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Bonnie despelled the ring so he called a witch he knew a few hours away and she was coming to make Caroline a new ring.

Stefan couldn't believe it but then he knew himself that witches could be so judgmental but was surprised Damon told him "_I know a witch that will do it" _to which Stefan's jaw dropped.

Damon rolled his eyes adding "_this witch is an exception ,she's not judgey" _as Caroline looked at him adding "_you probably rocked her world" _slightly laughing.

Damon looked at her doing the eye thing replying "_that I did" _giving her a smirk as Caroline and Stefan laughed at him.

When they stopped laughing Stefan broke the silence "_I dumped Elena last night_" figuring they needed to know and they would find out eventually as Damon and Caroline looked at him in surprise.

Damon slightly laughed right before quipping "_didn't know you had it in you" _getting up and getting a glass of bourbon figuring it was five in the evening somewhere.

* * *

><p>A few hours later there was a knock on the door and Damon went to let the witch in and he came back into the room with the witch behind him quipping "<em>so Damon you've finally settled just how long have you been here" <em>looking at him.

He rolled his eyes replying "_too long" _as the witch laughed knowing it was typical of Damon.

Damon introduced her to Stefan and Caroline and told her the ring needed to made for Caroline and she started to set up to make the ring.

Stefan watched in curiosity and asked "_how do you know Damon, the witch in this town set him on fire twice so I figure they all hate him" _as the witch thought about it.

She looked at Damon replying "_I think I'm the only one that likes him but he was too obsessed with Katherine to ever stay with me so we were just friends with extra benefits"_ giving him a small smile.

Stefan deadpanned replying "_you two were together, I knew there had to be a reason you are the only witch who likes him" _as Caroline slightly laughed at Stefan's expression.

Caroline interjected "_this is Damon he doesn't do abstinence from sex, girls, blood and booze" _looking directly at Damon slightly laughing.

Damon replied "_now there is someone who knows me too well" _winking at Caroline glad that she had cheered up a bit since last night as he tried everything but nothing was working until now.

Damon looked at the witch replying "_if I wasn't obsessed with Katherine we would have been a sure thing you can bet on that" _winking at her as Caroline shook her head in disbelief.

Caroline laughed looking at the witch who was sitting beside her taking out a ring and putting it on the table and picking up her book and told Damon to open the curtains so the sunlight was shining on the table.

When Damon opened the curtain and the light was on the ring the witch spoke the spell and when the ring was ready she handed it to Caroline who thanked her for coming all this way to make it for her but the witch told her it was no problem and if she ever needed anything to tell Damon to contact her.

Damon walked her to the door as the witch told him to keep in touch and when she left he came back into the room to find Caroline by the window testing out the new ring as she felt his arms wrap around her waist.

She leaned back into him thinking she wanted to get the hell away from this town while she still could considering the bad reactions she had so far from Elena, Bonnie even matt and Tyler had their own opinions on the whole thing and she was sick of it since they never cared before so why did they care now.

She knew she was done with this town and she was leaving for good and if Damon wanted to go with her that was his choice but she just couldn't bring herself to tell him just yet and she didn't want to leave without him so she hoped he would go with her.

Damon moved to stand in front of her knowing something was wrong and it wasn't just the ring it was the whole situation with Elena and Bonnie that made him wonder was Caroline starting to regret choosing him over her friends.

Caroline looked at him noticing he tensed up so she spoke "_I don't regret choosing you, I just don't understand why they are being so horrible to me over it" _as he just hugged her wondering if they should just leave and he wouldn't blame her if she wanted to leave because he had no reason to stay in this town.

He was only staying in Mystic Falls for Caroline but he knew it would have to be her decision to leave and he would wait until that day and Bonnie could do what ever the hell she wanted to him but if she pushed it far enough then he had no issues in killing the judgey witch if she crossed that line.

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><p><strong>thanks for reading.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: new chapter is up. Thank you for your reviews and alerts. Enjoy.**

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><p>A week later Damon woke to find Caroline wasn't lying beside him and noticing the bed was cold he knew she had been gone for a while as he wondered where she went as she was always there every morning.<p>

He found he actually missed her which was strange considering he had always been alone for the last 145 years or if he woke up beside a girl he either killed her or compelled her to forget about him and leave as he noticed he sort of missed Caroline rolling his eyes feeling so lame for thinking that thought.

He listened for movement in the house until he heard someone in the room where all the gym equipment on the far side of the house figuring it was Stefan so he got up and dressed and went to the room on the far side of the house thinking Stefan might have seen Caroline.

He knew he needed another reason as he didn't want Stefan to think he was specifically looking for Caroline even if he was but Stefan didn't need to know that he was looking for Caroline and that she was probably out and would be back later and he didn't want to be one of those clingy people.

But it was the way Caroline was acting over the last few days that made him think she had left town without him as a voice whispered in his mind that she left this hellhole of a town and him for good and would never be coming back.

Even though they had told Alaric, Jeremy and her mother they were together, they were the only three people in the town that were actually happy for them and Stefan also didn't really care anymore and was actually happy for them even if he didn't admit to it.

Even though no one else was happy about it Caroline's mother told them she was glad they had each other as she didn't want Caroline to go through eternity alone after Damon told her he wanted Caroline for eternity.

Alaric was also happy and told Damon he was glad he had moved on from the toxic waste that was Elena and Damon found he actually agreed with him that Elena was toxic.

Jeremy had also told Damon it was nice to see him happy for a change instead of being miserable over Elena all the time and that he was too good for Elena and better off with Caroline which surprised Damon.

He walked into the room expecting to see Stefan but instead he saw Caroline bench pressing every single weight in the room as he lightly quipped "_this is new" _slightly titling his head trying to ignore the fact she looked so hot and the hard on in his pants but it wasn't working as his eyes slowly dragged over her body.

She could feel his eyes on her as she lifted the weights up above her head each time and when she finished her set she lightly quipped "_like what you see" _in a teasing tone sitting up to look at him with a smirk to rival his own.

He shot her a curious expression as she added "_Stefan told me its good for stress and its helps for some weird reason plus it saves on the killing spree like the other night" _with sarcasm but he knew what she was really getting at as a silence fell in the room.

She looked off to the side figuring she needed to say it because she couldn't stay here anymore since over the last few days the hostility from Bonnie and Elena continued to get worse and Caroline wanted out so she just said "_I want out Damon, I cant stay in this town anymore, its killing me especially since we haven't done anything wrong and I'd rather be somewhere else then here being miserable all the time" _looking up at him trying to convince him to leave.

He picked up on it as he knelt in front of her telling her "_so we leave, you know the only reason I'm staying in this town is for you so if you wanna leave then we can leave right now because there is nothing keeping us here anyway" _looking at her intensively waiting for her answer.

She looked off to the side thinking about it knowing its not like she had any reason to stay here since everyone hated her and Damon plus she couldn't stand Elena and Bonnie giving her dirty looks all the time or walking out of the grill glaring at her when she walked in the door with Damon.

She didn't hesitate before replying "_I wanna leave now, lets just disappear and not tell anyone since its not like anyone will notice or even care that we left" _looking right at him hoping he wasn't just calling her bluff as he looked at her with no expression.

He looked at her intensively knowing she was right that no one would miss them or even care they were gone, in fact they would probably throw a party celebrating the fact they were gone for good.

He looked at her as a small smile spread across his face replying "_so lets leave then_" standing up pulling her up with him as she threw her arms around him and it was the first time he had seen her this happy since their road trip.

He was glad when she told him she wanted to leave as soon as she could like right now and he really wanted to leave and he hated the way Elena and Bonnie were treating her since she didn't deserve it.

He was used to being hated by people especially Elena and Bonnie but he knew Caroline didn't deserve it as they went and got a bag full of clothes each and a few bottles of bourbon and blood.

They ran out the door and into the car never looking back as they left the boarding house and past the Mystic Falls sign going where ever the wind took them as world was theirs now to live in and they were free from the drama that was Mystic Falls.

* * *

><p>A few hours later Caroline almost shouted "<em>shit my mom's gonna be so pissed I've just left" <em>as Damon laughed at her to which she hit him on the arm playfully.

He looked over at her replying "_just call her and tell her you've left town to go traveling and you wont be back because of the no aging thing she'll understand" _as she felt herself melt under his blue stare knowing he was right as always.

She sighed taking her phone out and calling her mother as he remembered he never called Alaric to tell him he was leaving so he called him when Caroline was on the phone.

They called Alaric and Liz telling them they were leaving town because of the animosity they were getting off Bonnie and Elena and Caroline told her mom she might not be back since she didn't want the council to be suspicious and Alaric told Damon he would miss him but Damon told him he will be coming to visit cos he needs a drinking buddy.

They also told them they were getting rid of their phone numbers and getting new sim cards for their phones and would contact them when they got the new numbers.

Damon and Caroline didn't tell anyone else they were leaving figuring that after they way they were treated by them they didn't deserve to be told as they drove out of Mystic Falls.

Caroline was glad to be gone as she felt a sense of relief knowing that they would no longer have judgey stares when they walked down the street or sat in the grill as she wondered would she be with Damon forever and that was if he even wanted her forever but she always thought that you never know what will happen so she was just going to live for today and enjoy every second of it with Damon.

She knew he was her best friend and so much more as she looked over at him and when he felt her eyes on him he looked over to see her softly smiling as she blurted out "_I love you Damon" _figuring it was too late to take it back but she didn't care because it was the truth even if it was too soon.

Damon flinched in surprise but kept it hidden taking his eyes off the road looking at her intensively but keeping the wheel steady in his hand putting his free hand in her hair pulling her to him crashing his lips on hers to which she deepened the kiss before he leaned back whispering "_I love you too Blondie forever" _their eyes still locked.

He couldn't look away even though he was trying but forced himself to look away before he hit something with the car as they were still driving pretty fast on the highway.

Damon couldn't believe she just said what she did and he actually believed her but a small part of him was expecting her leave him in a few months she got bored but he pushed that thought away deciding to just enjoy what he had right now and live for today.

* * *

><p>Over the next three years they traveled all over going to South America, Africa, Australia and Asia. They traveled around Europe and were now in the south of Italy sitting in a bar as Caroline looked at Damon over at the bar ordering their drinks as she wondered just how they managed to stay together for three years without killing each other.<p>

They argued at times but they always got over it quickly or sometimes it turned into hot angry make up sex that they both loved. Sometimes they would fake argue just to keep things fresh and even if they aimed below the belt at times they would smile playfully as they knew neither one really meant it as they were trying to keep their relationship fresh and it was working.

Before she knew it Damon was in front of her handing her the glass of bourbon and a shot of tequila from the two bottles on the table as he wondered just how he could end up so happy as he always felt he didn't deserve it or at least it was what he was always told.

There were celebrating Caroline's twenty first or what would have been her twenty first if she was still human and even though she didn't see the point of it or want to celebrate it Damon insisted because you only turn twenty one once and it was excuse for them to do crazy things while drunk even if they done crazy things anyway.

Damon tossed back the shot as Caroline rolled her eyes at nothing but it may be due to the fact they had been drinking non stop for the last two days and she was sure if she was human she would be dead from alcohol poisoning but luckily for her she was a vampire and could keep up with Damon but then she did have three years of practice.

Caroline leaned across the table resting her head on her elbow before tossing back her shot before quipping "_I told you I didn't want a big deal made out of this, I mean two days who celebrates their birthday like that" _as he slightly laughed looking at her intensively.

He looked at her like he would do anything for her and she knew he would and in truth it scared her three years ago and it still scared her especially the way he would look at her not hiding that he would tear the world apart for her but then she would do the same for him and she even told him she would.

They were both blissfully drunk sitting in the booth and after a comfortable silence Damon lightly quipped "_you do and so do I" _smirking at her to which she laughed in disbelief.

He feigned mock hurt before his expression fell and it looked like he was thinking about something as she noticed slight regret or hurt in his expression and it was something she loved about him.

How he could go from joking to serious to the way he looked right now in a split second and not care that she got to see him like that cos he knew he could trust her.

She knew he hadn't gone completely soft as he was still the same sarcastic jackass that would rip your heart out as quick as he would look at you when he first came to Mystic Falls and he had killed some vampires and people that pissed him off over the last three years just because he could and so had she.

He also thought her how to fight and defend herself against older stronger vampires but she got to see underneath the surface that no one else ever got to see or know was there and she loved that he always let his defenses down when he was around her and she was the same with him.

He broke the silence adding with seriousness "_in truth I never got to celebrate my twenty first, it wasn't done back then like it is now and seeing people who reach that age who don't want to celebrate it, it makes me wish I had gotten to celebrate my twenty first and if I did I would do what we are doing right now" _as she nearly missed what he said because she was thinking about him and how much he had changed since she first met him.

He gave a soft smile as she replied "_so we both can celebrate our twenty first tonight I mean your only twenty five in human years so it doesn't matter" _before refilling both their shot glasses.

Damon couldn't believe she would say this as he moved around the table to sit beside her rather then in front of her pulling her in for a hug before crashing his lips on hers hating there was people in the bar right now and even told her so but she just laughed as she was thinking the same thing.

They were both very drunk and starting to get mushy with each other which never seemed to happen when they were both sober but they knew right well what they were doing and saying when they were drunk enough for these kind of conversations and they didn't seem to care who saw them.

Caroline leaned back beaming at him as she quipped "_we need a refill" _winking at him as she got up and left the table walking over to the bar feeling Damon's eyes on her the whole way as she walked through the crowd not that she minded he was always watching her because she was the same with him.

Damon watched her and couldn't help laugh when he seen some guy go over to her and try to chat her up but she compelled him to leave her alone when there was a day she would tell them no politely but not anymore since she just went straight for compulsion much like he did and he loved it.

Damon was impressed by the change in her as she no longer seemed to be insecure even though she had her days like everyone else but she always believed him when he said he only wanted her even when she caught him looking at other girls.

She knew Damon was the sexiest thing alive and she loved the jealous look she got off other girls and while Damon would flirt with them a little that's all it was as he would always tell them he was spoken for by the gorgeous blonde beside him.

Caroline knew she had changed over the last three years and she was not the same person she was when she left Mystic Falls and put it down to the fact she had seen so much of the world it made her grow up.

Damon also told her that while her body would always be eighteen her mind would constantly be maturing as she learned from her experiences over the years.

It wasn't long before she came back two cocktails that she compelled sitting beside him thinking how on earth was she still standing in these shoes and if she was human there was no way she would still be wearing them.

Damon also knew he had changed as if anyone got him started on cocktails it would be Caroline and he was secure in himself enough to not care what people thought of him drinking cocktails since they were full of alcohol so who cared what they were, once you got drunk was all that mattered.

Caroline had a random thought quipping "_does long distance compulsion work" _looking at Damon quizzically as he smirked replying "_I'll show you" _waggling his eyebrows.

He looked around catching the eyes of a girl ten feet away and compelled her to pour her drink over her friend which the girl did as Caroline nearly fell off her seat laughing much to Damon's amusement.

Caroline wanted to try it so Damon told her when someone looks at her to keep eye contact and do the same thing she does when she is compelling someone up close and when she caught a guy's eyes she held her gaze compelling him drop his trousers and dance around which he did as she started laughing.

When she stopped laughing she told Damon it was the best thing ever and she was definitely going to do it again and she did it a few more times but stopped because she was afraid she would draw attention to herself.

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><p>It wasn't long before they finished drinks and were all over each other again as Caroline leaned back and looked around noticing a dark corner on the far side of the room as a mischievous grin appeared on her face.<p>

Damon looked at her intensively knowing right well where this was going as she had gotten really adventurous over the years especially when it came to their sexual escapades and he knew that expression she wore too well and he loved it about her considering he never seen that side to her in Mystic Falls but then it was a small town where everyone knew everyone's business so you had to be careful.

She tossed back the last shot of tequila to which he done the same before getting up and letting her past him and following her through the crowd on the dance floor with his hands on her hips.

When one of her favorite songs came on she knew she had to dance knowing she swore to him she would get him to dance one day and this was her opportunity and she was taking it as she might never get it again and the song was perfect for him. Let me put my love into you by AC/DC came on so she turned to face him winking as him as she seductively quipped "_you can put you love into me anyday" _grinning at him to which he shook his head not at all surprised by it while smirking at her doing he eye thing she loved loving the innuendo she made at him.

She pulled him tight against her swaying against him in time with the sultry guitar riff moving in time with the drum beat putting her arms around his shoulders as he wrapped his arms around her lower back.

She sang along in a whisper feeling him harden against her as she turned around putting her hands over his moving against him as he felt himself come undone with a soft moan into her ear kissing along her neckline letting her head fall back on his shoulder moving against him with the music singing in a low voice only he could hear in a drunken haze.

_Flying on a free flight, Driving all night with my machinery, Cause I got the power any hour, To show the man in me, __I __got __reputations__ blown to pieces with my __artillery, __Well I'll be guiding and we'll be riding. Giving what you got to me, Don't you struggle, Don't you fight, Don't you worry cause it's your turn tonight_

He was hard against her and they didn't make it halfway through the song before she took his hand pulling him along at near vampire speed into the dark corner where no one could see them before pining him to the wall crashing her lips on his caressing him with her hand as he moaned in her mouth.

He slid his hands up her skirt noticing she wasn't wearing any panties which made him moan again feeling himself get harder as she smirked knowing he noticed as she gripped him again to which he half moaned "_you're killing me" _before he flipped them over.

He was now in front her as she ran her hands up his t-shirt feeling over his abdomen and v-lines before gripping his hips as he pushed himself against her again deepening the kiss as she opened his trousers which he lifted her leg around his waist sliding himself into her as she softly moaned.

She lifted her other leg wrapping her legs around his waist moving against him as he held her to the wall moving in and out of her while catching her lips in his as they moved in time to the music.

She tightened her legs around him which he pushed himself deeper into her to which she let her eyes slightly redden which he done the same knowing she wanted him to bite her which he bit down on her neck and she bit down on his driving them both over the edge.

He rested his head on her shoulder as she let her head fall back against the wall with an expression that she was well and truly fucked as he softly kissed her neckline still inside her as she put her hand in his hair to which he looked up at her as she softly smiled whispering "_I love you" _softly kissing him.

He deepened the kiss before leaning back whispering "_I love you too" _pushing a bit of her hair back behind her ear with his hand before he moved out of her and she let her legs down standing on the floor and she kissed him again as she closed up his jeans.

* * *

><p>They fixed their clothes and flattened their hair before walking back out onto the dance floor their tryst unnoticed by the other drunk people in the room as they made their way to the bar compelling themselves a bourbon and some tequila.<p>

They drank some more before Damon suggested body shots which they did before he got up on the bar and started dancing before he pulled her up on the bar with him so she pulled up another two girls and the four of them danced on the bar ignoring the glances and looks they were getting.

They were so busy having fun they didn't see someone watching them over in the corner at the far side of the room looking at them as she felt a sense of being fed up of being alone for the last five hundred years.

Katherine was surprised Damon and Caroline didn't notice her presence figuring they were too drunk to either notice or care so they had their guard down and having too much fun now dancing on the bar with two random strangers.

She had been checking in on them over the last three years after she left Mystic Falls when they killed Klaus once and for all and she knew they had grown closer since then and looking at the way they were now she knew for certain Damon didn't have feelings for her anymore.

But she also knew while she did love Damon in 1864, she didn't love him anymore and what made her think he still loved her was his interest in Elena but she now knew his infatuation with Elena was only a rebound.

She watched him dancing with Caroline twirling her around on the bar as the both laughed and Katherine couldn't help a small smile and it wasn't a sarcastic one spread on her face as she hadn't seen Damon like this since 1864.

She couldn't understand why Stefan just couldn't leave both of them alone but somehow he had talked her into going along with this even though she didn't really want to as part of her knew it was her fault he was the way he is now but Caroline seemed to bring out another side to him.

The only problem was she knew they both hated her and would probably kill her on sight so she left the nightclub before they sensed her to go and feed on some unsuspecting stranger knowing she would make her presence when they were much more sober.

Damon and Caroline danced and drank the night away with the occasional feeding on the other party goers but left them alive before taking the party back to their hotel room with just the two of them getting intimate with each other.

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><p>A few days later when they were sobered up they decided to stay in Italy for another while as they really liked it and Caroline loved being by the beach not that she ever went into the water as she had this thing in her head her ring would slip off and then she would be dust so she wasn't taking any chances.<p>

Damon always laughed at her for it but he knew she also had a point as it was something he never really thought about before but then he was never one for going swimming although he did like to sit on the beach late at night away from all the people with a bottle of bourbon and just sit think while looking out to the horizon or up at the sky not that anyone ever knew that because he would never tell anyone that it was his private spot.

But tonight it would change and while he trusted Caroline ages ago he knew he loved enough to let her into that deepest darkest part of himself that she had never known about considering she practically told him everything about her and she also told him he knew her more then anyone even Bonnie and Elena ever did in her whole life much to his surprise.

There was nothing they kept from each other but Damon always kept this part of himself hidden and was just a little anxious she would laugh at him and think it was lame but then most of the other things he told her he thought were lame and she didn't laugh at him so he hoped she wouldn't laugh at this but he knew her well enough to know she probably wouldn't laugh or think it was lame and hated the fact he was nearly just as insecure.

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><p>It was a clear night when they left the hotel and fed on some passer by's down a dark side street before Damon suggested a walk on the beach with a bottle of bourbon to which Caroline was surprised as she didn't think Damon was up for this sort of thing and that it would be too cliché for him but he surprised her again.<p>

They went to the off license and bought a bottle of bourbon and a bottle of tequila each before going down to the beach front and walking a good distance on the beach until it was complete darkness away from all the lights and people at the seafront.

Caroline walked beside him drinking from her bottle of tequila not able to hide the small smile on her face at seeing this side of him as he never noticed her grinning at him.

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><p>A while later they had fell into a comfortable silence as Damon found he wondered just why she was here and even though he knew she wanted to be here he couldn't help think he didn't deserve her but then he always thought he didn't deserve anyone or anything since it was all he was told during his human and vampire life.<p>

He knew he was a horrible, selfish person and that what everyone said about him was true and he didn't deserve anything and deserved everything he got including being alone and miserable for the rest of eternity.

He didn't care anymore what people said about him but it still hurt in a small way but it only made him not care even more as not caring meant you didn't end up getting hurt and betrayed realizing Caroline was getting to close to him and knew him too well for his liking.

Caroline noticed he seemed deep in thought but decided not to say anything as he was obviously thinking about stuff he didn't want to be thinking about, either that or whatever he was thinking about he felt he deserved it and everything he got and she hated that he thought this way but from what he told her about when he was human she wasn't surprised he was the way he was.

She was about to say something as he whispered "_why are you here Caroline, with me I mean" _still looking down at the bottle as she noticed the brokenness of hurt and pain in his voice that he didn't bother trying to hide.

She knew her answer was she loved him but she had a feeling he was just thinking out loud since he added "_I'm not a nice person, I've done things, really crap things to people, used them to get what I want out of them and then killed them because they outlived their usefulness" _feeling her eyes burning into him intensively.

He took a long drink from the bottle before continuing "_I know I don't deserve anyone, I know I deserve everything I get, I know I deserve to be alone and miserable because I'm such a horrible person" _looking up at her as he added "_just ask Stefan he'll tell you" _slightly raising his eyebrow not hiding the abyss of pain in his eyes.

Caroline looked at him intensively as she replied "_they are all wrong and I don't hate you, never did even though I did think you were a user for what you did to me but I could never hate you even if I tried" _giving a soft smile.

They sat in comfortable silence drinking from the bottles before Caroline quipped "_we're out of alcohol so I'm going to get some more" _to which he looked at her realizing just how drunk he was considering they finished off everything they had as she smiled at him before getting up and speeding off down the beach.

He finished what was left in the bottle before lying back on the sand looking up at the sky thinking he never knew Caroline loved being a vampire so much not noticing the presence watching him from a safe distance.

* * *

><p>Katherine had been watching Damon and Caroline since before they left Mystic Falls and she was glad Damon had finally found someone who treated him like he deserved to be treated.<p>

She hated that Elena always tore Damon down emotionally and more or less told him she only wanted him if he was more like Stefan so she paid Elena a visit after Damon and Caroline left and she was livid at the way both Elena and Bonnie treated Damon and Caroline.

She paid Bonnie a visit after finding out she no longer had the power of a hundred witches behind her and threatened to rip her throat out for setting Damon on fire and dispelling Caroline's ring and roughed her up a bit at the same time figuring the witch deserved to be brought down a few pegs like all witches do and she was quite happy to be the one to do it.

She gave Elena just what she deserved by swapping her vervain for water and drinking her dry after roughing her up a bit for her part in trying to pit Damon against Stefan and then she left Mystic Falls before anyone knew she was there.

She finally caught up with Caroline and Damon but always remained at a distance so they wouldn't know she was there and while a part of her always believed Damon did still love her seeing him with Caroline convinced her that she still wanted him and she would make him see he still wanted her.

The fact that Stefan had caught up with her telling her he wanted to her to help him break up Damon and Caroline because he wanted Caroline for himself and Katherine was going to help him do it.

Nothing would ever stop her from going after Damon as she wondered even though she had that feeling that Damon was happy and she really wanted to leave him alone but somehow she got talked into what Stefan was planning.

She knew she wished she had what they had and wished she could just even be friends with them but knew she didn't have a chance but it still wouldn't stop her from causing some trouble.

Before she knew it she was walking closer to him and appeared beside him lightly quipping "_hello Damon" _with a playful smile on her face as Damon just tensed on the spot and she wasn't going to tell him Stefan was also with her and was off somewhere feeding on a human.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: new chapter is up. Thank you for your reviews and alerts. Enjoy.**

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><p>Damon just lay there glaring at the sky hoping he just imagined the voice that sounded like Elena so he listened and when there was no heartbeat he knew it was Katherine and rolled his eyes wishing the ground would open up and swallow him as he really wasn't in the mood for anymore drama.<p>

He tiredly retorted "_what do you want Katherine, is it your life's mission to just antagonize me for eternity or has Stefan got bored of you already although I cant imagine why he wouldn't" _his voice dripping with sarcasm wondering what was taking Caroline so long.

Katherine picked up on his sarcasm and decided to have a little fun so sat beside him just to wind him up and it worked as she noticed him roll his eyes wondering why he always let her get to him so much and he was always so easy to wind up too which never failed to amuse her.

Now that Klaus was dead Katherine knew she didn't have to run anymore and she didn't want to run, she wanted what Caroline and Damon had, she wanted friendship maybe something more but not with Damon and while she knew Caroline was good for Damon she was fed up of being alone as she thought of Damon telling her to enjoy eternity alone.

That thought scared her as eternity was a fucking long time and the last 500 years on the run alone was long enough and she also didn't want to end up like Klaus who was also alone for a thousand years and he ended up dead.

Katherine lightly quipped "_I told you Damon I want you" _looking at him mischievously to which he glared at her as she added "_calm down just joking" _rolling her eyes.

Damon was surprised she was even here as she clearly made it clear to him he wanted Stefan and couldn't stop himself from asking "_why are you even here its not like your wanted here" _bitterly as she pickled up on the tone in his voice telling her he didn't want her here.

Katherine expected this reaction but she knew deep down she did care about him and she was going to make him see it as she replied "_even though I knew you were looking for me over the last 145 years the reason I never came to you was because I was trying to protect you from Klaus" _not hiding the sincerity in her voice.

Damon was surprised and looked at her curiously as she added "_I did what I had to do to survive and I didn't want you to be on the run for eternity from Klaus because of me, I loved you too much to do that to you" _genuinely as she looked at him with no sarcastic expression.

She felt Caroline's presence speaking "_I know your there Caroline so you might as well sit with us, I know he will tell you anyway" _still looking at Damon.

Caroline appeared in front of them sitting down beside Damon with a curious expression wondering how Katherine knew she was there and Katherine picked up on it and told her "_when you've been on the run for 500 years you learn to keep your senses sharp so I knew you were there and I know Damon will tell you everything anyway" _as Caroline looked at her suspiciously.

Caroline angrily added "_so why are you here and why have you suddenly decided you want Damon now just because Klaus is dead" _before taking a much needed drink from the bottle.

Damon sat up taking the bottle off her and drinking from it as Katherine looked at her adding "_I know you heard what I said and I meant it" _before looking at Damon adding "_I did and still do love you Damon and I still care about you" _to which Damon glared at her while Caroline was still glaring at her.

Damon bitterly scoffed before standing up retorting "_fuck you Katherine, go find someone else to believe your lies because I'm not falling for them this time" _before turning and speeding off down the beach away from them as Caroline just looked at Katherine with a look of what else did you expect him to do.

Katherine quipped sarcastically "_considering I killed Elena you think he would be happy" _before taking a drink from the bottle of bourbon stuck in the sand.

Caroline deadpanned replying "_what, when did that happen" _as Katherine slightly laughed at the priceless look on her face.

Katherine replied "_she had it coming after the way she treated both you and Damon" _not hiding the seriousness from her voice.

Caroline replied "_why would you do that and have you been watching us all along" _with a curious expression wondering just what Katherine was up to as she knew Katherine always had an agenda.

Katherine simply told her "_she got what she deserved for treating you both like that" _simply shrugging her shoulder like it was no big deal and Caroline was surprised she would do that and that Elena had it coming to her and was glad the bitch was dead.

She wasn't going to tell Katherine that so just angrily replied "_I don't know what your game is but stay the hell away from Damon because he doesn't want you and stay away from me because I might just kill you next time I see you" _before getting up and speeding down the beach to find Damon.

* * *

><p>Caroline couldn't believe Katherine just decided to show her face but couldn't help feel glad that she killed Elena and wondered just why she done it and couldn't help the voice in her mind whispering that she was back for Damon and while she believed that he didn't want her she knew she didn't stand against Katherine as she always got what she wanted and it was like Elena all over again.<p>

It was a while before she found Damon further down the beach leaning against the cliff-face in a world of his own noticing just how broken and pissed off he looked as he stood facing the water drinking from the bottle but she didn't miss the broken expression on his face and she felt the urge to go back and kill Katherine but she knew she would have left.

Caroline walked closer to him whispering "_hey" _as he turned facing her angrily adding "_I knew this was too good to be true, us leaving Mystic Falls to get away from Elena but then Katherine has to come and find us" _as Caroline hated seeing him so broken like this but she also had that feeling of it was too good to be true as well.

Caroline looked off to the side as she softly asked "_how did she find us, she left Mystic Falls when we killed Klaus" _looking up at him.

Damon looked out over the water tossing back a drink from the bottle shaking his head whispering "_it wouldn't be the first time, hell I hate myself for wasting 145 years on that bitch and now that I don't want her, she wants me" _tossing back another drink.

He turned to face her angrily adding "_I should have killed her when I had the chance, I had her at one point but then I had to fucking hesitate just to save Elena and she was another bitch that had a hold over me and if I had of killed her then it would all be fucking over by now" _almost shouting as she noticed just how much he hated himself for not killing her when he had the chance written across his face and in his voice.

He ran his hand through his hair in frustration before he angrily threw the bottle against the cliff shattering across the wall as she walked over to him putting her hand on his shoulder but he pushed her away and tried to leave but she stood in front of him putting her hands on his shoulders to stop him from leaving.

He sighed in defeat looking down at the ground as she pulled him in for a hug to which he hesitated before putting his arms around her resting his head against hers as he whispered "_I don't get it" _so low she almost missed it as she tightened her grip on him and he thought if he was human she would be leaving a bruise she was holding him that tightly.

She was about to ask him to elaborate but never got the chance as he added "_I know I deserve everything I get and I don't deserve anyone but there is only so much I can take and I've had enough of it after 145 years plus my human life" _as she leaned back slightly looking at him curiously.

He brokenly added "_I'm done with it all, I left Mystic Falls for you and to get away from the drama but it just seems to follow me everywhere" _sighing in defeat.

She simply replied "_so we just leave again" _as he bitterly scoffed retorting "_so we have to run for eternity" _stepping out of her embrace.

She was about to tell him something but he turned telling her "_can we just forget tonight, can we go get drunk or kill somebody, I don't care but I don't want to think about them anymore" _as she just shook her head in agreement taking his hand in hers as they walked in comfortable silence going back to the bars along the seafront.

* * *

><p>When Caroline left to find Damon Katherine went to find Stefan and found him down an alleyway feeding on some random girl and compelling her to leave and forget about him as she looked at Stefan with a knowing smile as he looked at her asking "<em>is it done"<em> to which she simply to him it was.

Stefan walked towards her telling her "_it better work" _coldly.

Katherine replied "_I want Damon and you want Caroline so all we have to do is make them see they hate each other and you will be there to comfort her and that's when I sweep in to pick up the pieces with Damon" _smirking at him as he thought he would finally get Caroline away from Damon because he didn't deserve her and he would make her see that it was Stefan who deserved her.

Katherine thought it was cruel what Stefan was trying to do to Damon and Caroline considering all he ever told her was he hated her for doing what she did to him and Damon and here he was doing the same thing but she decided not to say anything about it.

She couldn't push away that feeling that she was hurting Damon again by going along with this and seeing both Damon and Caroline together she knew that they were perfect for each other but she wasn't going to stop Stefan from going after what he wanted as she wondered if she should tell them both that Stefan was here too.

Stefan simply replied "_all I have to do is get Caroline away from Damon long enough to make her see that Damon is the wrong choice for her and I will do whatever it takes" _the coldness in his voice not going unmissed by Katherine.

She simply glared at him replying "_so what's the plan, to get Caroline alone" _not sure if she really wanted to go through with this plan.

Stefan smirked before replying "_your job is to get Damon away from her and I will vervain her and torture her like Lexi did to me to stop me being a ripper until she sees that Damon is the wrong choice" _as Katherine could see the cogs in his brain turning thinking this was cold even for Stefan when he was a ripper and wasn't sure if she wanted to go through with this anymore but she wanted Damon so badly she wanted Caroline out of the way.

* * *

><p>Damon and Caroline walked into one of the packed bars after feeding fresh from a couple that were on the beach when they were on the way back to civilization when Damon told her they two people they fed on must have been on drugs because he felt like he had just been roofied much to her amusement.<p>

Caroline went and danced for a while as Damon went to the bar for a much needed drink and it wasn't long before she came over to him when he went to take a drink from the glass she took it off him tossing it back as he narrowed his eyes glaring at her.

She slightly laughed putting the empty glass down before compelling a fresh glass of bourbon for him as he mentally laughed at her using compulsion so willingly and he loved it about her so he compelled the bartender for two shots of tequila.

When the two shots landed in front of them they tossed them back slamming the glasses on the bar as Caroline walked away but he grabbed her arm pulling her back moving her to stand between his legs crashing his lips on hers before whispering "_I love you Caroline" _so softly she almost missed it and the brokenness and pain in his eyes almost killed her.

She looked at him silently putting her hand in his hair before she softly replied "I _love you too" _winking at him before walking away to go to the dance floor.

He watched her for a while as she kept her eyes on his before he turned back ordering another drink slipping into another reverie wondering just what exactly Caroline saw in him as Katherine's words that she still loved him and wanted him replayed over and over in his mind.

* * *

><p>He didn't know Katherine and Stefan were outside putting their plan in action as Stefan wanted to make his move after he left to drugged up people on the beach for Caroline and Damon to find and feed on them which worked.<p>

Stefan didn't want to wait any longer figuring Damon was drunk enough to not notice his presence but his luck changed when Caroline walked outside with a compelled girl walking her down the alleyway before feeding on her and compelling her to forget about her and leave.

Stefan didn't give her a chance to see him before rushing at her and stabbing her with an extra dose of vervain to knock her out and catching her as Katherine appeared beside him telling him she would be in touch before going into the bar to find Damon.

* * *

><p>Damon didn't realize just how long he had been in his own world for a few hours snapping himself out of it looking around for Caroline but he couldn't sense her presence anywhere in the room figuring she might have gone outside but she wouldn't leave without telling him.<p>

A voice in the back of his mind told him she would leave without telling him as he felt a sense of panic mixed with a stab of pain knowing he should have expected this to happen as he got up and went to look for her but couldn't find her anywhere even when he looked outside.

He punched the wall in anger before going back inside compelling himself a bottle of bourbon pissed off at himself for being so stupid to think she would stay with him feeling he should have known she would get bored of him eventually as that was the normal pattern with him.

It wasn't long before there was a tap on his shoulder to which he turned thinking it was Caroline but instead it was Katherine so he rolled his eyes getting up and walking out the of the bar hoping she wouldn't follow him as he wasn't in the mood to deal with her right now.

He got outside when he felt eyes on him knowing who it was angrily spitting "_what the fuck do you want Katherine" _walking down the street with his back to her hearing her slightly laugh at him as he wondered just why she was here.

A whisper in his mind told him she was here to mock him that another girl got sick of him pretty quickly as Katherine caught up to him quipping "_lost your girl already or did she lose you but then she did tell me the other night she was thinking about leaving without you" _not hiding the glee and sarcasm in her voice knowing just exactly what happened to Caroline but was keeping herself out of it.

Damon angrily retorted "_I didn't lose anyone, she's free to do whatever the hell she wants, its not my fault she's too much of a coward to tell me she wants to leave" _inwardly flinching at her words and feeling sick at his own words.

He tried again to feel her presence but she wasn't there as he wondered why would she do this and Katherine had to be lying because she always lies and its impossible for her to tell the truth but he didn't know Katherine knew exactly where Caroline was but she wanted Damon too much to tell him the truth.

He knew Caroline wouldn't do this, she wouldn't leave without telling him or would she but she said she wouldn't but then it wouldn't be the first time someone would do something like this to him so maybe she did and didn't tell him as she didn't want to hurt him.

But he thought she had already hurt him way more then she ever could even if she tried.

He snapped out of his thoughts telling Katherine "_go away Katherine, go back to Stefan, he was your first choice remember" _silently thinking like always but she didn't need to know that.

He noticed Katherine slightly lose her composure but it was gone as she quickly recovered herself quipping "_he's a bore you're so much more fun" _to which he rolled his eyes and speeding away from her not caring who seen him.

* * *

><p>Somewhere across town Caroline woke up in a strange room tied to a chair looking around the room trying to figure out where she was and how she got there and struggled against the ropes that had her tied to the chair.<p>

She felt a burning sensation realizing they were full of vervain and she was felt week which meant she must have been stabbed with a lot of vervain considering she just fed fresh tonight.

She thought back remembering being on the beach talking with Damon and then Katherine showed up and stirred some shit and also told her she killed Elena but then it was Katherine, you couldn't take her word for anything.

She remembered Damon storming off and going after him, then they went back to the club and feed fresh on the way and then it hit her, they knew they were roofied and drunk and the last thing she remembered was dancing on her own with some girl before taking her outside and feeding off her and compelling her to leave and then she felt someone attack her from behind stabbing her with a syringe or what must have been a syringe full of vervain considering she knew exactly was being stabbed with vervain felt like as she thought not again.

Then she thought of Damon and she knew he would come for her as a voice in her mind whispered would he, considering Katherine put words of doubt in his mind on the beach she knew Katherine may have had something to do with this and if Damon thought she left him then Katherine would no doubt be there to twist everything.

But then she thought Damon would be insecure enough to think a disappearing act meant that she left him for good and wanted nothing more to do with him as she inwardly groaned realizing he probably thought she left of her own choice.

Then a voice in her mind whispered he was the one that left which meant he didn't mean a single word he said and Elena and Bonnie were right in that he was using her but then it wouldn't be the first time someone used her until they got what they wanted or moved on to bigger and better things.

She was snapped out of her reverie when she heard someone opening the door to reveal Stefan who rushed over to her untying her wrists as she muttered "_where's Damon" _getting her hands free as Stefan gave her a sad expression.

She inwardly flinched knowing what was coming as he said "_he's gone Caroline, he's flipped the switch, it was him who tried to kill you by getting another vampire to do it" _to which Caroline gave him a look telling him she wasn't buying it for a second.

Stefan stood up replying "_it what he does Caroline, he uses people and drops them when he's bored" _as Caroline looked at the ground shaking her head silently before getting up and leaving the room needing to feed.

She went out side and fed on a human in a dark alleyway never hearing Stefan contacting Katherine to tell her it was done and that Damon was all hers to which Katherine told him to enjoy the blonde because she would enjoy Damon before hanging up on him.

Stefan went outside to find Caroline compelling a random guy to forget about her feeding on him and Stefan didn't approve of her feeding on humans like that but he would sublimely convince her to go on the animal diet like he did.

They went back to Stefan's hotel room as he told her he left Mystic Falls a while after Katherine killed Elena and that he hadn't seen Katherine since but Caroline told him that Katherine made an appearance earlier on when her and Damon were on the beach.

She seen something flicker in Stefan's expression but it was gone as quick as it was there but she couldn't help the feeling that he knew more then he was telling her but she left it for another time as she wasn't in the mood to get into a discussion right now.

Stefan told her he spent the time traveling around and when he came to Italy he didn't know they were here but he seen Damon talking to another vampire trying to talk him into offing Caroline for him and she knew instantly he was lying.

She knew Damon would never do that and that he done his own dirty work and if Damon wanted you dead he would kill you himself, he didn't need some lackey or minion to do it for him as she gave Stefan look of disbelief knowing just exactly what Stefan was trying to do.

Stefan knew she didn't believe him as he told her "_look lets just go get some sleep and we will talk about it some other time" _walking away from her knowing he would have to try harder to get her to see Damon was only using her.

She hesitated before following him feeling like he was up to something but she couldn't put her finger on it and the bad feeling she also had wouldn't go away.

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><p>A few days later Katherine found Damon in his hotel room drunk as a vampire could be and feeding off some college student in the bed as she noticed the room smelt of blood, sex and booze which meant Damon had been having his own party which meant that he was back to his old party ways.<p>

Damon rolled his eyes at her before compelling the girl to get dressed and leave and forget she ever seen him as he lay there naked on the bed coldly smirking at Katherine quipping "_you know how to ruin a party, you should start up a business in that and you would make a fortune plus prostitution would be a good trade for you considering that you already are a manipulative slut" _voice dripping in sarcastic venom coldly glaring at her.

Katherine kept her composure rolling her eyes knowing she was called far worse retorting "_oh stop with the dramatics, she left you get over it, I'm here aren't I" _to which he pinned her to wall by the throat as she looked him up and down suggestively with lust in her eyes before pushing him off her and sauntering over to the bed sitting on the end of it.

He walked back over grabbing the bottle of bourbon before lying back on the bed with he back against the headboard covering his lower body with the sheet as Katherine lightly quipped "_I've seen you naked loads of times, don't tell me your shy" _with seduction in her voice as she moved to straddle him to which he looked at her realizing she looked just like she did in 1864 but then that could just be the haze of alcohol he was in for the last three days.

She didn't make a move even though she wanted to but she had to let him make the move for the plan to work but the way he was looking at her had a whisper of doubt in her mind and she wanted to tell him the truth but she wanted him more figuring it was too late to back out now.

He put the bottle over on the top of the drawers beside the bed never taking his eyes off her slightly licking his lips before he crashed his lips on hers to which she deepened the kiss as he felt the jolt of electricity running through him from her touch.

He waited for this for 145 years but it wasn't what he expected and the kiss felt empty like all the rest of the girls he was with except Caroline but he pushed that away accepting that maybe he didn't deserve to be happy and he should just settle for Katherine.

He noticed she took off her top and ran his hands up and down her sides as she kissed him before he flipped them over taking her trousers off kissing along her neck line and across her chest and abdomen before moving himself into her and moving against her.

She flipped them over straddling him as she moved harder against him letting her face change resting her hands on his shoulders to which he put his hands on her hips pushing her down onto him driving them both over the edge.

She rolled off him lying beside him as he stared at the ceiling wondering just why he felt so empty as a voice in his mind told him it was because she wasn't Caroline and he vowed there and then he would get over her and make it work with Katherine considering he spent 145 years trying to get her from the tomb and another part him felt like he deserved her and no one else.

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><p><strong>thanks for reading.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: just need to point out Stefan is a ripper in this story and he may be out of character too. This chapter is all Stefan/Caroline but don't let that put you off, its not going to last for long. As always thank you for all your reviews and alerts.**

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><p>A month later Caroline and Stefan were still in Italy and while she still missed Damon she was starting to accept that he left her for good and Stefan also helped her see what Damon was like from his point of view and naturally he said nothing good about his brother.<p>

Stefan was sure he had convinced her that Damon left her for good that he got sick of her and tried to kill her and even though she had a hard time believing it Stefan did a good job in convincing her it was true and thought she now hated his brother but he didn't know just how wrong he was.

Caroline knew she still loved Damon and probably always would but she knew she had to move on and to make it worse she was starting to like Stefan more then just a friend but she didn't think she would ever love him at least not the way she loved Damon which was more intense.

She felt more like Katherine and Elena now that she was with Stefan and she felt bad for coming between the two of them again but Stefan told her not to think that since it was Damon that left her first but it didn't make her feel any better.

She could always picture Damon's face if he seen the two of them together and she knew it would be the end of him so she kept telling herself it was him that walked away to be with Katherine so if she wanted to be with Stefan then she could but it didn't stop that nagging feeling that something was off about this whole thing and it wasn't going to end well for anyone.

While she did really like Stefan as he made her laugh like she did when she first turned she felt pressure when he kept telling her he loved her with an expression that he was expecting her to say it back so all she could do was tell him that she knew he did.

He let it drop when it happened but sometimes he would go into a huge rant about her not being over Damon which would lead into a big argument and she would leave the house for a few hours and when she went back to end things with him it was like he knew and would change her mind by being so sweet and nice.

She thought he was worse then Damon because at least Damon admitted his faults but Stefan didn't, he just blamed them all on his brother and she knew Stefan didn't trust her or at least she didn't think he did and she also wondered was he like this with Elena but Elena never told her if he was or not but she knew when someone didn't trust her.

She knew there was something off about Stefan and it was obvious he changed in the last three years and she had a suspicion he was back on the human blood and he was but he wasn't going to tell her that as he thought she didn't need to know about it.

Stefan played on her insecurities of being unwanted by convincing her he was the only one who wanted her and would accept her for who she is so she started to believe that what he said was true not realizing that Stefan was lying and manipulated her into thinking Damon tried to kill her.

Caroline woke to see Stefan lying beside her hating herself for becoming Katherine and then Elena by having both brothers and while Stefan always told her she was nothing like Katherine she couldn't help that empty feeling and she knew what it was and that empty feeling that she had her whole life but strangely enough she never felt that when she was with Damon even when she was human.

It happened a few days after Stefan found her in the room when they both got drunk and ended up sleeping together and it became a thing but she found herself starting to get attached to him and she knew she liked him even though she really wanted Damon and he wasn't Damon and she hated that.

She knew that Damon was gone, he didn't want her anymore or at least that was what Stefan told her and as far as she was concerned it was Stefan who wanted her and while she did like him she wasn't sure if she could ever love him the way he loved her and she knew he did because she could see it in the way he would look at her.

There was no danger in her moaning out Damon's name instead of his even though she was thinking about Damon because they were both completely different and she found Stefan quite dull compared to Damon who gave her everything he had where as Stefan held back like he was afraid he would hurt her and she hated it.

She decided that since Damon didn't want her and tried to kill her again then she was going to make it work with Stefan since he was the closet thing she had to a friend in a long time.

She snapped herself from her thoughts telling him she was going to get some blood when Stefan told her "_have you thought about going on the animal diet anymore" _as Caroline got dressed thinking not this again as she tiredly told him "_I already told you I'm not going on the bunny diet and that's final so just drop it Stefan" _before rushing out the room and out of the house before he could follow her.

Stefan watched her leave thinking he had to get her on the bunny diet, he already convinced her that Damon left her for good as he thought if he just kept at her for a while longer he could make her see why the animal diet was the better choice.

He knew she was moody since he found her that night and hated that Damon turned her into this even though he told himself he got what he wanted but he wanted more from her, he wanted her to be like him and go on the animal diet even if he wasn't but she didn't need to know that, he couldn't accept that she was still on the human diet and knowing if he made her choose she would leave so he was going to have to convince her again.

Then he thought about what if she runs into Damon when she's out but Katherine told him her and Damon had left town but she didn't say where they went and that worried him because he knew if she seen Damon he might turn her against him and he couldn't have that because he hated anyone choosing Damon over him and it already hurt enough that she picked Damon first.

Stefan contacted Katherine demanding to know where they were as he had a suspicion that somehow Damon had found Caroline and they were back together and even when Katherine told him that her and Damon had left town weeks ago he didn't believe a word of it so he decided to follow Caroline.

He left the house following her scent but he kept losing it and it was a while before he figured out she didn't want to be found and he was so pissed off that covering up your tracks so you wont be found was another thing that Damon showed her how to do as he wished he really did kill his brother.

He knew he was acting like a crazy stalker psycho but he had his reasons and even though he loved Caroline he didn't quite trust her not to go back to Damon but he also didn't understand that she liked her space of a few hours on her own and he knew it was another thing he would have to change.

He couldn't figure out where she might have went so he went back to the house and just waited for her to come home and he would talk to her again because he knew if you talked to her you had more of a chance in getting what you wanted.

He also hated that Caroline loved being a vampire and was at peace with it and used compulsion like there was no tomorrow and he was determined to have her live more like a human then a vampire.

He couldn't understand why anyone would like being a vampire but he was going to change that thing about her and make her more like he was when it came to being a vampire and he didn't care that it was wrong him trying to change her into what he thought she should be.

But what he didn't know was that Caroline didn't want to be changed and she already had her suspicions about him and she already knew he had changed and couldn't help feel there was more to what happened that night and it didn't help when she asked and he would get all mad with her for bringing it up and tell her he didn't want to talk about it which only make her suspicions grow even more.

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><p>Caroline left the house knowing he would follow her so she double backed and took a few short cuts making sure her scent would lost and broken up in places so he wouldn't be able to find her just like Damon showed her.<p>

She walked for miles in a world of her own after feeding fresh as she wondered just how she got into this mess in the first place as she never felt so confused about anything before in her life.

She went to a place where she knew Stefan wouldn't be able to find her which was a beach and she walked for another few miles until she was far away from people as she could possibly be as she just wanted to be alone.

She took off her shoes and walked barefoot along the shore line when she found herself thinking how much she was glad to have Stefan over the last month but he was too clingy and she hated it, he never let her have her space on her own, he always wanted to be with her and she found it slightly unsettling but told herself she was just imagining it.

Her feelings for Stefan were confusing and she wasn't sure if she only liked him cos he was there for her when Damon supposedly left but she knew she also still completely loved Damon and she couldn't hide that feeling that something might have happened for him to just up and leave without telling her because it wasn't his style to just leave, instead he would tell you he hates you and the leave because he wasn't a coward.

She sat down in the sand looking out over the water finding herself thinking of Damon wondering where he was and was he happy because she obviously wasn't making him happy if he left her and him leaving just confirmed he was only using her until he got bored of her and Stefan telling her that everyday had her convinced but she was starting to question things about Stefan.

She knew one of the reasons she could never love him was that he couldn't accept her for who she is and it only made her miss Damon even more as he accepted her with no questions asked and she did for him in return but then Stefan wasn't Damon and she thought she was stupid to ever think that Stefan could be just as accepting as Damon when it came to her but then nobody ever accepted her in her whole life except Damon.

She felt her eyes water as she thought to herself why did she go out to feed fresh that night, why did she leave the bar because if she had stayed then they would still be together right now and she would be happy and she knew she could have made him happy.

She always wondered just why he left remembering the fact that Katherine showed up that night and it made her wonder if she had anything to do with it as she had never seen Katherine or Damon since that night and how did Stefan just conveniently know where she was that night and when she thought about it, it seemed like Stefan and Katherine had the whole thing planned out and it would make sense as to why Stefan was always so evasive when she asked about that night.

She wished Damon would just come back and get her the hell away from here as she thought about finding him but she knew he was happy with Katherine so she didn't want to ruin it for him and she knew Katherine would kill her if she came within twenty feet of them and then there was Stefan who was just so damn smothering it was killing her slowly.

She also knew if she left Stefan would follow her and she felt trapped in a relationship she didn't want to be in anymore but she just didn't know how to get out of it and she wasn't sure if Stefan would just let her go without any questions and she knew he would also follow her.

She also didn't know where to start in looking for Damon but she knew she needed him and she felt like a part of her had died considering she felt like she had just lost her best friend as well as whatever else they had unless that was all a lie.

She wiped away the a few stray tears from her face with her thumb deciding he wasn't worth crying over which she always told herself over any guy but she knew Damon was worth feeling like this which was a massive contradiction considering if it was anyone else she would tell them to not waste their tears on the other person.

She hated herself so much over the last few weeks for being so stupid but she also knew something wasn't quite right about the events that happened the night Damon left because when she asked about it Stefan would just awkwardly tell her what happened and she knew he was lying since she knew if Damon wanted her dead he would kill her himself, not get some other vampire to do it for him but she didn't tell him that as he would only deny it.

She was gone for most of the day before she decided to go back to the house that Stefan had bought even though she offered to compel the owner so they wouldn't have to pay for it but Stefan wasn't having it because he thought it was wrong and compulsion wasn't meant to be used like that.

She didn't get why Stefan was so damn hard to live with and he was even worse then he was when he was in Mystic Falls especially with the way he would manipulate her to get what he wanted and she knew the he knew exactly what he was doing.

She hated him for that and knew if it was Damon he would have just compelled the owner because he loved being a vampire and used it to his advantage unlike Stefan who was morally crippled by it.

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><p>She walked in the door to find Stefan which she was in no mood for rushing over to her asking her where she was and was she okay to which she told him she was fine walking past him and going into the living area for a glass of bourbon hating that he was so clingy feeling the need for a stiff drink finally realizing just why Damon drank so much when he lived with Stefan back in Mystic Falls.<p>

While some would call it romantic or whatever she hated it, she hated that he clearly didn't trust her as she snapped "_Stefan, just give me some space, your getting to be too smothering and I hate it" _angrily before tossing back a drink and she was drinking nearly as much as Damon did lately which was another thing Stefan didn't like but she didn't care anymore.

She refilled the glass tossing back another drink as Stefan started his daily lecture on her drinking as he seriously quipped "_you drink too much, you're turning into Damon" _standing on the other side of the room glaring at her to which she rolled her eyes before tossing back another drink.

She hated it when he said stuff like this and it was like he was never happy with her and she knew he was trying to change her into what he wanted her to be which is why she always thought he never really loved her like he said he did.

She slammed the glass on the table as he walked over to her putting his hands on her shoulders whispering "_I'm sorry ,but I love you Caroline I don't want anything to happen to you" _with an expression that showed he wanted her to tell him that she loved him but it never came.

She stepped backwards whispering tiredly "_I know" _looking off to the side before looking back up at him adding "_and don't look at me like that I'm not ready to say it yet" _taking another drink from the bottle feeling she would need it and realized she would never love him like he wanted her to knowing she would never be Katherine and pretend to love him.

She moved to sit on the sofa as he angrily retorted "_but you will say it to Damon" _coldly glaring at her as she rolled her eyes at him hating that he kept bringing Damon into it even if he was right.

She tossed back a drink bitterly replying "_your jealousy of Damon is getting old and you just look pathetic every time you mention him" _glaring back at him.

She knows all she can think about is Damon but she hides it very well and it still hurts that he left her like that but she knows she is strong enough to survive on her own not that Stefan would ever see that as he treats her like she's weak and fragile and about to break and it makes her hate herself more then she already does but then Stefan would never think of that because he's too insecure over Damon.

Stefan sighed before sitting beside her telling her "_I'm sorry I just worry about you because your not who you were when you were in Mystic Falls" _holding back the bit about how you changed since you left with Damon but she knew exactly what he meant but kept drinking form the bottle.

Caroline softly replied "_I've changed Stefan, why cant you see that" _looking at him adding "_Bonnie and Elena treated me like crap and Damon was the only one who was there for me so you don't get to tell me how wrong he was for me" _falling silent not adding just how much she hated him for doing this to her and that she missed him so much and still loved him which was why she could never love Stefan like he wanted her to.

Stefan looked at her before softly kissing her and pushing her back on the sofa moving on top of her undressing her at the same time.

Caroline wasn't really in the mood but went along with it as she wanted a distraction and it pushed away those suspicious feeling about the inconstancies in Stefan's stories whenever she asked him about that night that he found her.

The fact he always told her he didn't want to talk about it anymore raised some questions but the more she thought about it the more she found it strange that Damon would up and leave without telling her.

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><p>She woke during the night in bed after Stefan successfully distracted her noticing he was gone and she knew he was off feeding on some human somewhere as it was obvious he was back on the human blood but wasn't telling her he was as she thought he was such a hypocrite telling her she needs to stop drinking human blood when he didn't have to.<p>

Her thoughts drifted to Damon as she thought about just how much better he was in bed and he was bigger too which helped in that department as she grinned to herself reminiscing about Damon and thinking he was probably with Katherine now and then she started to miss him again realizing she wasn't angry at him anymore.

She never thought about it before but in the last few days she was thinking about that night a lot and something didn't sit right with her since Damon never gave her any indication he wanted nothing more to do with her and he was in the bar when she left to feed on the girl.

She heard movement downstairs figuring Stefan must be home so she snapped herself out of her reverie by the time he came into the room taking his t-shirt off as she let her eyes slowly drag over his body wondering just how he managed to stay so chiseled and muscular in places she didn't know there was muscles.

Stefan grinned at her staring at him enjoying the way she was objectifying him as Elena never looked at him this way and before she knew it he was naked and crawling up the bed snapping her out of her stare to which she softly smirked at him with a raised eyebrow.

He moved to kiss her neckline as she pulled him closer to which he pulled the sheets away moving on top of her putting his lips on hers to which she put her arms around him softly moaning against his lips.

He moved himself into her to which she ran her hands up and down his sides moving against him letting her eyes close as he whispered in her ear to which she flipped them over straddling him moving faster against him as he closed his eyes in pleasure softly moaning her name as they drove each other over the edge before she fell on top of him.

She lay there for a few seconds as he put his arms around her trailing his fingers along her spine before she moved to lie beside him as he looked at her telling her "_you don't have to say anything but just know that I love you" _with an open expression that she didn't miss and it crushed her every time because she knew she could never say what he wanted to hear.

She shook her head slightly softly replying "_I know you do and I could love you Stefan its just taking a while" _so seriously she almost convinced herself looking at him hating herself for lying to him but if her suspicions about him having something to do with Damon leaving were anything to go by then he deserved everything he got.

She moved to rest her head against his shoulder as he replied "_I understand and I can wait forever for you to say it" _pulling her closer to him but he didn't know his words scared her.

She knew she could never love him the way he want her to as she admitted to herself there and then she was still in love with Damon and probably always would be even though he left her so she decided she was going to try her hardest to love Stefan even though she also knew she was fooling herself and Stefan to think she ever could and she also knew she couldn't do this to him so it was time to come clean and tell him how she really felt.

He wasn't long falling asleep but she lay there as the moonlight streamed in the window as she looked out through the window hating the way she felt this sense of self loathing and it was Stefan that made her hate herself so much and more the anyone else ever made her feel.

She knew he hated the way she loved being a vampire, she always noticed those glances and looks of disapproval when she thought she wasn't looking but she always noticed and she never understood why he hated her so much.

She hated the way he wanted to change her into something she wasn't and somehow he had turned her against herself and it was like he was determined to break everything about her.

She didn't trust herself anymore and she felt like he alienated her from people especially if they were out and she was talking to someone in casual conversation he always seemed to get jealous and wanted to leave which pissed her off especially when she was enjoying herself which wasn't very often these days.

She just didn't feel any self worth anymore and she hated this façade she put up everyday that everything was okay when it wasn't but then he didn't care at all just once she done what he wanted her to do or acted a certain way that met his approval.

She felt like she had to put on a show most of the time hating pretending to be on the bunny diet when she really wasn't and had to sneak out of the house to feed fresh since he didn't approve.

She got to the point where she was sick of him nagging at her all the time so she just told him she would go on the animal blood just to shut him up but she still fed fresh from the source behind his back.

She knew he was manipulating her and anytime she tried to leave he would talk her into staying and she hated herself even more for letting him do it knowing if Damon was to see her right now even he would think she was pathetic just like he told her when she was human.

She didn't understand why people hated her so much, first Elena then Bonnie and everyone else in Mystic Falls and Damon hated her when he first came to town telling her she was pathetic and Stefan told her he would never want her but then it wouldn't be the first time she was told all of them things.

She knew she was pathetic, useless and shallow as Damon's words swam around in her head mixed with the words of disapproval she had received from everyone in her whole life and she knew they were all right in what they said.

Even worse was no one ever choose her, they all chose Elena but then she was so fucking perfect, she was good looking, had loads of friends and boys lining up and falling over themselves to go out with her Damon and Stefan included.

But no one ever saw her and she hated it, she didn't know what was wrong with her and now when she looked at her reflection all she saw was imperfections and flaws along with the reflection of the ghost she had become.

She knew she was shallow, insecure and useless just like Damon told her she was but he was the only one to tell her what everyone was already thinking about her to her face until Stefan.

She stared at the ceiling wondering did she deserve to be treated the way Stefan was treating her right now as that insecure part of her whispered she should be happy that someone wants her and she deserves to be used like she is right now and it was a given that Damon would leave her for someone better like Katherine.

She thought of all the fights she had with Stefan over the last few weeks where he would tell her she was useless and no one loved her except him and she should be happy he loved her.

He also told her she was stupid for thinking Damon genuinely cared about her and when she asked if he ever spoke to Elena this way he told her he didn't because Elena was a strong person and that Elena was perfect the way she was and he would choose Elena over her and still be with her if Elena hadn't been killed by Katherine which was also her fault because she couldn't stay away from Damon.

Those words from Stefan cut her down sharp like a blade and it hurt and she knew he was aiming for below the belt to deliberately hurt her and she hated herself for thinking she could trust him considering he told her he would never hurt her and here he was going back on his word.

She started to believe all this bullshit he told her but then he was just speaking the truth in that she deserved to be treated like crap since it was always that way and she was stupid to think it would change.

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><p>She needed a stiff drink as she got up and got dressed going downstairs into the living area taking the bottle of bourbon and sitting on the sofa as she thought about that night that Stefan found her and she knew it all didn't add up and there was something more to it that Stefan wasn't telling her.<p>

She remembered her and Damon in the bar having a great time and then going to feed while Damon was at the bar which always happened and then compelling the girl to leave the alleyway and then she was stabbed from behind.

The next thing she woke up in the hotel room and Stefan conveniently walks through the door but how did he know she was there considering they weren't even in contact with Katherine as a light bulb went off in her head.

She remembered Katherine saying she killed Elena and left which meant Stefan would have had to leave too but why would he be working with Katherine.

She started to question the way he acted over the last month which was way too suspicious especially the way he would never tell her the full story of what happened that night especially the way he would abruptly try to change the conversation like he didn't want to be caught out.

He told her too many inconsistent details that she knew weren't accurate and she knew if Damon didn't want her he would tell her he was leaving because he wasn't a coward but she knew Stefan was brazen enough to make Damon out to be the bad guy to make himself look good.

The whole picture started to become clear as she realized that Katherine showing up when she did was also very suspicious as she realized that Katherine and Stefan were working together and what made it obvious was that Katherine and Stefan showing up within hours of each other was just too big to ignore.

Suddenly the pieces all fell into place as she remembered a distinct smell that night and it was the same one that Stefan had when he came home tonight and it was a smell of human blood and alcohol as she finally figured out Stefan was the one who stabbed her that night.

She gripped the glass in anger nearly breaking it feeling the anger rise in her as she thought of Damon and felt horrible realizing that he thought she left him when she didn't leave him at all putting her hand through her hair letting the tears fall for crushing Damon by dong what she said she would never do and that was leaving him and she was going to kill Stefan for doing this to her.

Even worse he had the nerve to do it to Damon knowing it would kill him in thinking that someone else had left him as she wondered just where he was knowing if what Stefan did was true then Damon would be with Katherine and miserable at the same time thinking he deserved her.

All she wanted to do was go find Damon but she didn't know where to start even though she now wanted him more then ever but if he thought she left him for real then she knew he would never want anything to do with her again as she tossed back another drink feeling it burn the back of her throat.

She hated Stefan for doing this to her, for ruining what she had with Damon just cos he wanted her, she wondered just why he couldn't let Damon be happy for once in his life.

She knew Damon was with Katherine first and Stefan took her from him when he went off to fight in the war in 1863 and Stefan also had Elena first and still rubbed it in his face that no one wanted him.

But when she choose Damon over him he couldn't have that, he just couldn't let Damon or her be happy and she hated him there and then for doing that to both her and Damon hoping he would figure it out and come and find her.

She felt like killing Stefan there and then but she figured if anyone deserved to kill Stefan it was Damon thinking he probably wouldn't come now that Katherine got her claws into him but she didn't know just how miserable he was with Katherine finishing off the bottle.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**a/n: decided to post this today as I wanted this chapter and the last chapter to be running alongside each other, in other words as Caroline figures it out so does Damon at the same time. I know its lame but I wanted to do it this way so the next chapter will be action packed. This chapter was inspired by watching re-runs of Buffy the vampires slayer and Angel well mainly Angelus in season 4 of Angel so I could have more of season 1 Damon back. Think I also need to mention this story has gotten really out of character and weird but there is only 3 chapters left after this one. Hope you enjoy.**

**Warning: Damon is really dark and torture is involved. **

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><p>After Katherine and Damon had sex in his hotel room they left town a few days later as Stefan contacted her and told her he didn't want her there anymore incase Caroline seen them and luckily for Katherine Damon wanted to leave so they did.<p>

Katherine told Damon that Caroline willingly left him by telling him she was just another girl that seen him for what he was and left before she got hurt and that she probably thought he was pathetic so she left him for good.

He hated the way her words cut through him like a knife and while he didn't believer her and thought she had something to do with why Caroline left it didn't stop him from thinking that she had a point and it didn't stop the endless whispering in the darkest corners of his mind telling him that he didn't deserve Caroline.

He knew deep down that Caroline would probably see him for what he really was and leave him but he didn't think it would be so soon but what sent alarm bells ringing for him was he knew if Caroline wanted to leave she would have told him straight to his face and not just leave behind his back.

He knew the fact that Katherine conveniently showing up within hours of Caroline leaving was just a little too convenient and he knew she had something to do with Caroline's disappearance but he also couldn't help think maybe she left the way she did because she didn't want to hurt him.

But she had to know just how much leaving without telling him would hurt him and he knew the way she acted towards him that night was not the way you acted with someone if you were going to leave unless you were Katherine.

He figured he didn't deserve to be happy so decided to let himself be with Katherine again as a distraction for getting over Caroline leaving him and thinking being with Katherine will help him forget about her but he was wrong because all he did was think about Caroline and he hated it even though he still wanted her.

He didn't get why Caroline just left the way she did considering she told him she would never leave him and was the one who gave him the option of leaving her and ending things to which he told her he didn't want anyone else.

He hated himself so much and he knew he didn't deserve to be happy but he didn't think he deserved to have this happen again and while he did think about going to look for her he didn't know what he would do if he found her with Stefan and it wouldn't surprise him if his brother swooped in once again taking what was his even though he knew Caroline never belonged to anybody but herself.

He knew he deserved everything he got and deserved to be miserable and he felt like he was life's cruel joke always did and always would as he wondered was there an alien tv show somewhere on another planet or even on this planet in another country watching and laughing at him right now.

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><p>It was Halloween and he sat alone in a bar as Katherine had gone off somewhere and he didn't care where since he just upped and left without telling her and when he went back to their house she wasn't there so he went to the bar to get drunk which he had been doing a lot lately.<p>

He knew he was avoiding Katherine as he couldn't believe he wanted her for 145 years and when he finally gets her he gets bored of her before the week is out but then Caroline was still occupying a large part of his brain and what was left of the shreds of his humanity and even if he had flipped the switch he couldn't stop thinking about her just like with Katherine before he knew she was out of the tomb.

He tossed back a drink wondering why the hell he didn't just leave since he knew for sure he didn't want Katherine anymore and he knew she was just as pissed off with him because he wasn't treating her like he did in 1864 as he thought she was stupid to still think he was that stupid, naïve, gullible pathetic person he was back then when he was human.

He groaned in disgust at what he once was when he was human feeling grateful he wasn't like that anymore but it nearly happened again when he met Elena but he wised up to her eventually he just wished he never met her in the first place, in fact he wished he never came back to Mystic Falls.

He knew if that never happened he never would have met Caroline so he would just have the switch firmly switched off and he would be fine living in his empty existence of killing and sexing his way through eternity the way a real vampire lived.

He heard some party goers coming into the bar so he compelled a bottle of bourbon for himself before he went over to sit in one of the booths in the corner wanting to be left alone to get drunk in peace.

He watched some of the people that just came in and bitterly laughed to himself when one of them was dressed as a vampire making a mental to show them what a vampire really was later on when he got bored of drinking bourbon.

He thought humans were so stupid with their vampire fiction and myths and they wouldn't know what to do if they met a real vampire as he thought about the fun he would have with the girl across the room thinking he would show her just how horrific a vampire could really be as she screamed to whatever non existent god she believed in to save her which would never happen as he tossed back another drink.

He knew he was the stuff of nightmares when he wanted to be and he missed that feeling of just having a total disregard for human life and was surprised to find he had his emotions on half way while still wanting to torture this human across the room but the thing was he really did not fucking care anymore and when he didn't care then someone was going to die out of boredom or because he felt they deserved it.

He thought why did he owe people anything when all they did was hurt him, betray him and stab him in the back every chance they fucking got and he was sick of being kicked like a dead dog on the side of the road for their entertainment.

He looked around the room knowing he was the top predator in the place and could kill them all in the blink of an eye if he wanted to and he just might if this mood he was in persisted plus they all deserved it and since everyone said he was a monster he might as well act like one.

He thought why should he care when no one cared about him not even Caroline who supposedly said she cared but then she was just like everyone else and he felt even more stupid for believing her and if he ever saw her again he might just kill her but he knew he couldn't actually kill her.

He knew why groaning in disgust knowing he still loved her and he hated that she'd gotten under his skin and crawled into his undead heart and stayed there even when he tried to get her out of his head she still persisted in staying in his head also and it pissed him off so much.

He was so lost in self loathing he didn't notice a girl walking over with a drink and was broken from his reverie as she put the glass down in front of him to which he compelled her to go away and find some other loser to annoy but leave the drink to which the girl left and he went back to hating himself.

He picked up the compelled drink tossing it back not feeling quite as drunk as he wanted to be noticing the empty bottle of bourbon in front of him deciding he needed another one and closing time was still a few hours away.

He decided on a bit of long distance compulsion looking over at the bar catching the bartender's eyes and compelling himself a fresh bottle of bourbon and a few seconds later the fresh bottle landed on the table in front of him to which he compelled they guy to forget about giving him the bottle and to go away.

He got halfway through the bottle when he had enough of this pity party as it was something Stefan would do remembering the human he decided to have a little fun with looking around the room seeing the fake vampire and catching her eye before compelling her to come over to the table which she did as he chuckled to himself thinking she wouldn't know what hit her when he finished with her as the girl sat beside him practically eye fucking him to which he returned.

He didn't bother asking her name as he really didn't care, he just wanted to take his frustrations out on someone so he played nice for a while as he flirted and got her drunk very easily much to his amusement especially when she suggested a private party when it was time to leave.

When he stood up he was surprised just how drunk he was but then he had been drinking all day and drank two bottles of bourbon in a few hours as they went outside and walked down the street as he flirted with her thinking it was time for the old Damon to make a reappearance and it never felt so good.

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><p>They went outside where he led her down a dark alleyway behind some industrial dumpsters and pushed her up against the wall with his body as he kissed her deeply before kissing along her neckline as a voice in his mind told him just kill her already.<p>

He ignored it as he wanted to have some fun first letting his face change to which the girl opened her eyes and screamed as he chuckled darkly telling her "_thought you liked vampires considering you dressed up as one but I have to say I'm offended that you screamed because it could have gone a completely different way" _coldly glaring at her with a dangerous smirk.

The girl swallowed a lump in her throat trying to calm her heart rate but all Damon could hear was the blood rushing through her veins which only added to the wanting to rip her throat out but he had built up good control over the years so he knew he would get to savor her taste but he wanted to have some fun first in terrorizing the girl first.

She shakily replied "_vampires aren't real" _glancing around her wondering if she should make a run for it.

Damon chuckled darkly before lightly quipping "_oh honey, your nightmares are real and if your thinking about running you should know you wont make it past me" _coldly glaring at her as she realized one part of fiction was true.

Damon smirked before coldly quipping "_yeah that bit is true although I have to say I'm insulted you didn't know that" _knowing she had realized she could never out run him and he really was slightly insulted but then he was meant to be the stuff of nightmares and myths so she had a legitimate excuse.

When she realized hell with a dangerous smirk was in front of her she did the stupid thing and tried to run anyway even though she knew it was pointless but he grabbed her and compelled her not to move or scream taking joy in the fact she was running scared as he thought just how much he missed being the hunter going after the prey.

He chuckled darkly as she shakily asked him what he wanted as he ran his tongue along his fangs licking his lips coldly glaring at her before lightly quipping "_I wanna torture you, I used to love it and its been such a long time, I mean the last time I tortured someone" _thinking about it before adding "_well its been too long" _in a dark tone of voice while coldly smirking at her.

She let tears fall before shakily asking "_please just let me leave or just kill me already" _as Damon just sank his fangs into her neck tasting her while breaking her wrist at the same time thinking humans were no fun when it came to getting tortured.

He pulled back retorting "_why do people always want to leave me, am I really that bad" _breaking her other wrist to which she didn't move or scream as he compelled her not to which made this whole torture a hell of a lot more easier.

The girl tried to talk again telling him "_you don't have to do this please" _as he thought she was pathetic and she had to know she wasn't getting out of here alive and humans could be so stupid, like what part of dead or going to be dead didn't they get breaking both her elbows.

He bashed her head into the wall and smelt blood growling "_I'll rip out __your windpipe so it stops making that annoying talky sound __if you don't shut the hell up" _gripping her throat with his other hand as he thought just end her already but he wanted to drag this out because he was a vampire, he was meant to kill people and he was really getting sick of these pathetic pleas as he bit into her neck feeling the blood run down his throat.

He leaned back licking the blood of his lips and the girl flinched when he gently pushed some of her hair back as he growled "_the more you piss me off the longer I'll keep you alive" _darkly chuckling and coldly smirked when he heard her heart rate go sky-high which only thrilled him more as blood was better when the prey was scared but it could have been just the adrenaline of the hunt as he dislocated her shoulders with a flick of his wrist.

She tried to struggle again but couldn't move due to the compulsion but the change in her heart rate told him she was trying to move so he slowly broke her fingers before feeling bored of her punching his hand into her chest under her ribcage ripping her heart out with his hand and pulling the aorta out of the heart and drinking the blood from it as the body fell to the ground.

When he finished he threw the heart into the dumpster along with the body after wiping the blood off his hands with her jacket and covered it with a few rubbish bags before walking out of the alleyway after checking the coast was clear and no one saw him leave.

He didn't feel like going to another bar so he went back to the house hoping Katherine wouldn't be there as he wasn't in the mood for her but knowing his luck she probably would be so but he went home anyway and when he got home she was there so he ignored her by going to his room and going to bed just to get away from her.

Damon had tried to convince himself over the past month that he felt something for Katherine pushing that feeling of emptiness to the very darkest corners of his mind but Katherine knew differently as she watched him ignore her by getting a bottle of bourbon and walking out of the room without even looking at her and she had that feeling that he had just killed someone as he had that expression the she had worn many times when she tortured and killed someone.

She also knew he had flipped the switch or at least she thought he had but then she knew it was possible for a vampire to leave the switch half on and half off and she had a feeling that he was going between the two and it made her feel bad because she made him into what he was right now and she started to regret going along with Stefan in the first place.

She knew Stefan's plan was unfair and she hated herself for going along with it and she knew Damon would probably kill her when he found out and she wouldn't blame him if he did as she killed other vampires for far less then what she had done.

But she really wanted to have another chance with Damon but it didn't feel right and she knew their relationship wasn't what it was like back in 1864 and judging from the broken look she would see in his eyes sometimes when he thought she wasn't looking, she knew he still felt something for Caroline.

This only made the guilt of what she done with Stefan gnaw at her a bit more every day and it didn't help she was angry at herself for allowing this feeling bad about something creep into her mind since she never felt bad about anything and she wasn't about to start now.

But since she got back with Damon call it intuition or whatever but she knew when they were having sex his mind was somewhere else and he was seeing Caroline and not her which she felt was ironic as she never thought of him in 1864 so she figured she deserved it.

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><p>After a few days Katherine was sick of his moping and ignoring her by going out and getting drunk and killing people and while she also done it she wasn't as miserable as he was being and she was going to try and bring him out of it even though she knew he missed Caroline.<p>

She dragged him to a punk rock club using the excuse of wanting to feed but didn't want to go on her own just to get him out of the house they were staying in and party it up for a while since she was bored and she was surprised when he said he was up for it as he was bored too.

They got into the club as she lightly quipped "_ooh fresh blood and hopefully we'll get roofied for free" _before laughing and to her surprise he laughed with her telling her that he agreed.

He liked the idea of getting roofied for free and even though he only came to keep her quiet he was glad he came as he was fed up of being miserable all the time so he decided he was going to have fun and enjoy the night and not think about Caroline at all and before he knew it they were at the bar and Katherine had already ordered their drinks.

They had a bottle of bourbon between them and did body shots on the bar after Katherine compelled the bartender to ignore them while Damon compelled him to keep giving them free drinks all night between going and feeding fresh of some other people in the club and they even got roofied much to their amusement.

Damon hadn't had this much fun in a month and decided Katherine wasn't that bad and he felt bad for stringing her along and thought about coming clean to her that he only really saw her as a friend and he didn't hate her like he used to and thought she wasn't as annoying anymore but then maybe Klaus being dead had something to do with making her lighten up a bit and not have to be constantly watching over her shoulder.

He liked Katherine now that she was more relaxed but then she told him when he said to enjoy eternity alone it made her think about things and she didn't want to be alone for eternity.

She even admitted to him that since Klaus was now dead that she didn't have to run anymore and be looking out for herself and she wanted to be friends with him and while he didn't trust her yet he liked this relaxed more carefree side of her but he still had his suspicions about her that he couldn't get rid of.

All was going well, they drank, she danced, he threatened to kill her if she didn't stop pestering him to dance and she dared him to try to kill her to which he would roll his eyes and push her away from him which she was glad some of the old Damon was back and he was having a good time and seemed to forget about a certain blonde vampire for a few hours.

When he was drunk enough he decided he wanted to dance so they done some more shots before getting up on the bar and dancing to punk and metal music not caring about the weird dirty looks they were receiving from people at the bar as Damon pulled Katherine to him putting his arms around her and crashing his lips on hers to which she returned by putting her hand in his hair deepening the kiss moving against him in time to the music.

The song changed to a more sultry guitar riff and when she noticed no one was looking at them she moved so his leg was between hers moving against him in time to the music crashing her lips on his feeling him against her telling her just how much he wanted her as he moaned in her mouth.

Knowing he was hard she decided to have a little fun so she pulled away and jumped off the bar looking over her shoulder at him with a playful smirk as she walked away to which he jumped down off the bar and followed her into the toilets noticing she was compelling the girls in there to leave and locked the door when they left.

She slammed him against the door crashing her lips on his to which he returned with the same intensity as they quickly undressed each other running their hands all over each other as he walked her backwards over to the sinks to which she sat up on the sideboard part wrapping her legs around him.

He moved himself inside her with his hand as she kissed his neck and shoulder pulling her tighter into him with her legs and moving against him as he softly kissed her shoulder and for once he was actually thinking of her and not Caroline for a change as Katherine had been a really good friend to put up with him for the last month.

When she let her face change he also let his face change and when they neared their climax they weren't long biting each other driving each other over the edge.

They remained in a comfortable silence before they heard someone banging the door down wanting to get in before they got dressed and straightened themselves up and flattened their hair before opening the bathroom door.

They was a queue of three or four girls who looked at them in shock so Katherine shamelessly quipped "_he was so good" _winking at them as she walked past them and Damon shamelessly smirked at them never taking the lustful look off his face and the look of shock on the girls faces were too funny.

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><p>They went and got a bottle of tequila and went to sit in one of the booths laughing over what happened when they came out of the bathroom as Damon told her "<em>I haven't had this much fun in the last few weeks" <em>in a serious tone of voice that she didn't miss and she thought she saw glimpses of the Damon she knew in 1864.

She looked at him genuinely as she replied "_neither have I" _hating the pit of guilt in her stomach over doing what she did with Stefan and decided she was coming clean with him tomorrow but she would let him have tonight as he really did seem happy and she gave him that only she would rip it away tomorrow and she hated it but she knew she had to do it cos she hated lying to him again.

She knew he would really hate her this time and that she would deserve whatever was coming to her but she knew she couldn't keep lying to him not when Caroline was out there with Stefan and from what he told her Caroline was miserable too and that made her feel worse as she once did live for love but then she got caught up with Elijah and Klaus and ended up as a doppelganger sacrifice.

She knew what she done with Damon and Stefan was wrong but she was in survival mode back then and now that Klaus was no longer a threat she didn't want to be that person anymore so she decided there and then she was going to tell him the truth even though he would definitely hate her for it.

She was so pissed off at herself for going along with this whole mess that Stefan created but she was going to put a stop to it by telling Damon the truth because she had really gotten to know him over the last month and he really had changed and wasn't who he was in 1864 and she liked him more now then she did back then and she even told him that she liked him more now because he wasn't as naive as he was when he was human.

He also told her that he liked her more now since she seemed more relaxed now that Klaus was dead and she genuinely told him again that she didn't go to him after he turned because she didn't want him to be running for eternity from Klaus.

He eventually believed she was protecting him but he told her she really hurt him by doing that and she apologized and they ended up becoming friends who had a lot in common and found they liked the same music as well as drinking and partying but it was a long road to get where they were now and Katherine hated she was about to ruin it all but she couldn't keep lying to him anymore.

They were blissfully drunk and had started trading dirty jokes and stories they heard over the years and when she went to the bar the mood all changed when a certain song came on and she could have killed the DJ for playing that song as she remembered Damon telling her it was the one song that reminded him of Caroline because she sang it to him when they went on the road trip.

She looked over to see Damon's expression turned dark and she knew his mood had completely changed feeling that twinge of guilt or whatever you wanna call it as she thought about coming clean about the whole thing right now and never mind waiting until tomorrow.

She knew all along he still wanted and loved Caroline but she couldn't deal with the broken look in his eyes anymore and she knew deep down but didn't want to admit it that he was just keeping up the façade that he still loved her so she decided to come clean about her and Stefan's plan there and then knowing he would really hate her this time but she knew she deserved it.

When she got the two glasses of bourbon she walked over sitting in front of him tossing back her drink before telling him "_we need to talk" _with a serious expression and he knew she meant she was serious.

He looked at her curiously for a few silent seconds before tossing back his drink and getting up walking towards the door as she followed him thinking he was going to kill her for real this time but she knew what he really wanted and she hated herself for taking that from him.

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><p>She followed him outside and down an alleyway beside the bar as he lightly quipped "<em>why do you have to ruin it Katherine, we were having a good time" <em>trying to hide just how miserable he felt since that song was played.

She looked at him silently before softly replying "_I was and we were but I don't think you were and that song just proved it" _to which he looked at her like she had two heads.

He replied "_I wasn't at first but after a few drinks I really was enjoying myself, I wouldn't have done shots and danced on the bar and had sex with you in the bathroom if I wasn't having fun Katherine, I would have just left after the first drink if I wasn't having fun and you know it" _with a serious expression and she believed him.

But she knew he wasn't quite getting what she was saying replying "_I know you miss Caroline and don't deny it because I see that look in your eyes when you think I am not looking and I know you still love her and want her and correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think its me your thinking about when we have sex" _with a soft expression and no malicious tone in her voice as he swallowed the lump in his throat and he expression telling her she was right.

He looked off to the side hating that she seen through him so easily before replying "_I really tried to make it work " _as she shook her head slightly telling him she knew he was trying to move on but she knew he couldn't move on considering he spent 145 years looking to get her from the tomb.

She walked closer to him putting her hand softly against his cheek whispering "_I know you did" _sincerely with a genuine expression figure she should just tell him now before she backed out and she would which is why she was doing it now.

He could tell she had something to say as he looked at her quizzically to which she just let the words out "_Caroline never left you, Stefan took her and told her you tried to kill her so she wouldn't leave him" _seeing his jaw tense and eyes slightly widen in shock which meant this could not be good and she knew he would probably kill her right there and then but she knew she deserved it and Stefan more so for talking her into it.

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><p><strong>thanks for reading.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**a/n: new chapter is up. I don't normally name my chapters but ive been listening to a lot of gothic metal lately which helps with my writing.**

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><p>A day i have make a promise to you,<p>

A promise of immortality

Other visions, another life without pain

More blood will be spill...why?

immortality buyed with other life's

**(Suicide Vampire - Theatres of Vampires)**

**yes there is a gothic metal band by that name….who knew.**

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><p>Damon froze on the spot feeling his whole world just cave again coldly glaring at Katherine wondering just why the hell she would do this never seeing the apologetic look on her face as he was so blindly caught up in thinking she hadn't changed at all.<p>

He angrily pushed her into the wall with his hand on her throat and even though she knew she could push him off her she let him take his anger out on her as he spat "_you really haven't fucking changed at all" _right up in her face.

He never felt so angry in all his life as he wondered just how could she do this to him again and thought about leaving but this time he wanted answers and he was going to get them from her and then kill her if he didn't like what he heard or maybe he might just kill her anyway.

Katherine thought he was going to kill her and she knew him well enough to know he was going to drag this out but she wanted to tell him everything and she would tell him the truth but she wasn't sure if he would believe her and right now she didn't care if he killed her or not.

Damon pushed her against the wall holding her by the throat with one hand and pushing his hand into her chest griping her heart with his other hand menacingly hissing "_give me one reason why I shouldn't just rip your heart out" _tightening his grip on her heart getting ready to rip it out as she thought he was really going to do it and she also didn't blame him for it as this was the second time she betrayed him and she knew he deserved to get his revenge on her and she deserved to receive it.

Damon silently glared at her with a cold stare never giving her the chance to speak before asking "_tell me everything" _tightening his grip on her throat realizing she couldn't talk while he was crushing her windpipe so let her go and stepped back.

Katherine rubbed her neck mentally sighing in relief recomposing herself before she sincerely replied "_I will tell you everything I swear no more lies" _in a serious tone of voice with a genuinely apologetic expression.

Damon was still glaring at her as she added "_I don't know if Caroline told you but I killed Elena after you both left when I found out what she and Bonnie did to Caroline and you but Stefan didn't know it was me until he ca__me found me after he left Mystic Falls and he told me he wanted Caroline because you had her and he didn't like that" _shaking her head from side to side.

She paused knowing he needed to know what his brother has become before continuing "_Stefan has changed Damon, he's back on the human blood and he's become this cocky ripper asshole plus he also told me you don't deserve Caroline and he thinks you took her from him" _as Damon gave her a look of disbelief.

Damon angrily replied "_Caroline was never his and he was with Elena and Caroline had and probably still has no interest in him at all_" still glaring at her.

Katherine shook her head in agreement replying "_you and I know that but he doesn't, he seems to think that Caroline is better of with him and that he's more deserving of her and I told him she would never think that for a second that she wants you that you're her choice but he couldn't deal with or accept that, he's even told her that its your fault Klaus came to Mystic Falls because you were looking for me although it was probably my fault since I knew what you were trying to do so it was my fault Klaus came to Mystic Falls" _as Damon started get even angrier and but was caught between if he should kill Katherine or not and he was still pissed at her for going along with it in the first place and told her so.

He noticed the genuineness in Katherine expression as she added "_Damon the last month has meant more to me then what I've ever had in my whole life and I'm sorry for hurting you but I do think of you as my friend but if you want to kill me go ahead" _as the seriousness of her words hit him like a freight train.

He didn't expect this reaction from her as he thought maybe she had changed but he didn't believe it for a second and he remembered Alaric telling him not to just snap someone's neck just because they have pissed you off but to give them a chance to give an explanation to see if they have changed and if they haven't then by all means snap their neck since its what they deserve.

He decide to listen to Alaric this time considering he was the only person to be friends with him in like ever but he was too hurt at what Katherine done to just give her another chance as he lunged at her pushing her against the wall with his hand on her throat tightening his grip hissing "_fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" _coldly glaring at her.

Katherine choked back "_I'm gonna help you get her back, I know where he is even if he thinks I don't" _with a serious expression.

Damon looked at her quizzically as she added "_oh I've still got contacts watching him and reporting back to me after all I didn't survive for this long from Klaus without having contacts" _raising her eyebrow as Damon thought there was the Katherine he knew was there all along as she always had her bases covered and it was one thing he liked about her and even though he hated to admit it, he needed her to get to Stefan and Caroline.

He knew he should kill her there and then as he asked "_so where is she" _punching his hand into her chest again as she felt him tug on her heart trying to keep her cool as she replied "_just across town I can take you there" _not hiding the seriousness from her voice.

Damon wasn't buying it for a second as he retorted "_I thought you changed Katherine but its obvious you haven't, I knew all along you might have had something to do with this and I have to say its low even for you" _slamming her against the wall and ripping the sleeve off her jacket to wipe the blood off his hands not caring about the look of disgust she gave him for ruining her jacket.

He walked away angrily adding "_now show me where they are before I kill you and if you are setting me up in any way I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat and its something I'm very good at" _in a threatening tone of voice.

Katherine followed him knowing he really was going to kill her but he knew he would find her quicker if Katherine told him but he also thought she could be lying again.

Katherine caught up to him and they walked to where Stefan and Caroline were staying as he thought Caroline would probably hate him so he had no chance but he was sure as hell going to win her back.

Katherine was surprised he didn't kill her but she was glad she came clean feeling a sense of relief and as she said "_I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Damon, I wanted to but you were my friend and I was scared of losing you because I don't want to be alone for eternity" _as they got closer to the other side of town.

Damon didn't say anything as he angrily stared ahead of him thinking she was going to pay for this and he was done with her for real this time as he realized Caroline was right in that he did deserve better then that lying bitch called Katherine.

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><p>The walked the rest of the way in a tense silence before she finally spoke "<em>we're here, that's the house there with the black door" <em>pointing over to it as he listened for movement.

When he heard Caroline's voice he spoke _why did you lie" _coldly glaring at her_. _

She didn't think he would kill her letting her guard down as she softly spoke "_I saw what you and Caroline had and it made me so mad I never got that with you and I wanted you so much but then Stefan came and told me if I help him get Caroline then I would have you and I didn't agree with it but I went along with it because I wanted you so badly" _falling silent as she looked at him.

He licked his lips not sure if he wanted to know but he sort of did at the same time asking "_and" _regretting asking as she would probably tell him something he didn't like.

She softly replied "_as much as I loved having you back I knew all along you wanted Caroline and I also knew we were better off as friends, I still love you Damon but as a friend and I think you do too" _as he shook his head in understanding.

He looked at her genuinely as he replied "_I'm in love with Caroline, always was and I hate you for taking that away from me again and I will never forgive you for it" _hiding just how hurt he really was as he wasn't going to let that bitch manipulate him again.

Damon licked his lips deciding just to ask "_were you ever going to tell me" _looking at her but he was not sure if he really wanted to hear her answer but then he was one for putting himself out of his misery.

She just softly replied "_I was going to tell you today" _and for some reason unknown to him he thought she looked like she was being genuine but he wasn't taking that chance anymore.

He knew there was nothing to stop her from pulling something like this again in a few decades or centuries and also never felt such hated for someone and he also didn't want to see her face ever again since she was sure to cause trouble and thought of her being alive for eternity was not an option.

She spoke again "_I really am sorry Damon" _as he bitterly scoffed slightly shaking his head in disbelief.

He angrily retorted "_you lie, you always lie and next you will probably tell me you still want Stefan" _hiding the hurt in his voice and noticing the flash of wanting Stefan in her eyes.

Katherine's surprised reaction when he mentioned Stefan was all he needed to know to confirm she was still choosing Stefan over him yet again as he mentally told himself he was an idiot for believing her lies.

He thought about the time he said that death would be too kind for her and he still thought it was true so he decided to make her pay by taking away the one thing that really mattered to her just like she did to him and if there was one thing he done well it was getting even with someone if they deserved it.

He turned to face the house hearing Caroline moving about and then he heard Stefan fighting with her and even though he wanted to go crashing in there and kill Stefan he remembered Katherine saying that Caroline was miserable all the time as he wondered just why she would be miserable if she thought he left her.

He knew Caroline well enough to know she would never sit around wasting her thoughts on someone who didn't care about her and if she was then it meant that maybe she did still care about him as he felt a sense of maybe she would be happy to see him again.

He was broken from his thoughts when he heard Stefan yelling at her and getting all moral with her over her drinking human blood but he was surprised when Caroline always put Stefan in his place.

It surprised him more the way her comeback were more sarcastic and had a darker tone to them as he wondered just what the hell Stefan had done to her over the past month feeling himself get angry with himself for not realizing what Katherine done sooner and coming to find her but no he had to sit in a river of self pity and self loathing.

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><p>Caroline felt like giving Stefan piece of her mind and telling him he was wrong to do what he did to her and Damon but she knew he would probably kill her for choosing Damon.<p>

She was home alone as Stefan was out hunting and that was when she got that familiar sense of a presence outside and she thought it was Damon and was going to look outside but then she caught herself thinking it was probably her imagination thinking if he saw her now and saw how pathetic she had become he would probably leave for good and wouldn't blame him.

She had been avoiding Stefan since last night but she knew when he came home he would have either insults or want to have sex with her and that was all they did lately and she hated it plus it only made her miss Damon even more.

Damon never treated her the way Stefan was right now, even when she was human and he was using her to do his dirty work he still treated her with a sense of decency whenever it suited him or at least she saw glimpses of it but with Stefan there was nothing and she hated the way he looked at her like she was just a nuisance.

She thought even if Damon did come back he wouldn't want her but then who could blame him considering he thought she left him when in fact she didn't leave him it was Stefan that made him think that by stabbing her with vervain and she was going to kill Katherine for her part in the whole thing if she ever ran into her after she killed Stefan.

Caroline was incensed with rage over the whole thing but she knew Stefan was stronger then her but Damon taught her how to overpower a stronger vampire but the only thing she was missing was vervain so she searched the house looking for it but she couldn't find any of it anywhere.

She gave up after searching the house thoroughly ten times and still found nothing as that sinking feeling of defeat crept in and she hated it but what she didn't know was Damon was already on his way to find her as she thought there goes her plan of drugging Stefan with enough vervain to give her a few hours chance of getting away straight down the drain.

She left the house after deciding to go and feed and be by herself for a few hours but when she came back Stefan was waiting for her on the sofa with a glass of bourbon glaring at her and she knew instantly he was in one of his moods again and she decided there and then she was leaving him because she was sick of his attitude.

Stefan angrily spoke "_I know you've been feeding on human blood and I thought you said you were drinking animal blood" _to which she coldly glared at him thinking he was such a hypocrite.

She knew there and then he was following her narrowing her eyes at him retorting "_like you can talk, don't think for a second I didn't know you have been back on the human blood all along, you're such a fucking hypocrite" _before walking over to the drinks table picking up the bottle of tequila and drinking from it as she felt like killing him there and then because at least she'd be free of him forever.

Caroline never gave him a chance to speak as she added "_you know what Stefan we are over, done, finished because I've had it with you trying to turn me into perfect Elena who by the way also had feelings for Damon and I'm sick of it, she's dead get the fuck over it" _now shouting at him and she didn't care who heard it.

Stefan bitterly retorted "_don't talk about her like that" _tossing back a drink hating that she was starting to see through him as he wished she was still human so he could compel her to shut the fuck up.

Caroline spat back "_what, you don't want to see what she's really like, that's she's a two faced manipulative slut and the whole of Mystic Falls except me, Damon and Katherine couldn't even see it or just didn't want to" _coldly glaring at him.

Stefan was stunned silent before he coldly retorted "_at least me and Damon actually wanted Elena unlike you who is just shallow and useless" _coldly smirking at her mixed with a look of disgust.

He even went as far to add "_at least with Elena she was perfect unlike you who is just so insecure its pathetic and_ _at least me and Damon actually wanted Elena " _but he wasn't expecting Caroline's sarcastic chuckle as she just glared at him not letting him see that he words actually hurt her.

She spent enough time with Damon to know exactly how to deal with Stefan as she thought its no wonder Damon is the way he is if he had to put with Stefan like this for his whole vampire life.

Caroline sarcastically replied "_oh I've been called worse" _before tossing back another drink still glaring at him with a look of disgust.

She glared at him as she added "_actually, I think its you that's pathetic, what was it Emily Bennet said when you first turned, you had a pure heart, I wonder what she would think now if she saw you ripping people apart and putting them back together like a puzzle" _with a tone of disgust in her voice.

She saw Stefan slightly flinch and knew she wasn't meant to see it as she firmly added "_its only me and Damon that both know the closet you get to humanity is when you rip open a vein and feed on it" _before tossing back another drink as she continued her glare of disgust at him.

Caroline was done with him treating her like a victim so she was turning the tables on him and letting him know exactly what she thought of him as she walked over with the bottle and sat on the sofa opposite of him as she lightly continued "_oh come on don't look so surprised, you think I haven't heard all the stories that Damon told me about your ripper years" _raising her eyebrow at him.

She lightly added "_even Klaus heard about you, what was it he heard about you, the legendary ripper that killed whole towns and villages just for the fun of it, he must have been a real hoot to be around but even then Damon was still avoiding you like the plague" _voice dripping with venom.

She took a darker tone of voice adding "_if anyone is pathetic its you, hiding who you really are, pretending to be the good moral brother when we both know that's a pile of shit, at least Damon doesn't hide who he is and I'm not gonna hide who I am just because you hate yourself and what you are more then anyone else ever will, you're a fucking disgrace to your species" _tossing back another drink.

She was about to get up and leave as Stefan bitterly retorted "_you should be glad I want you considering no one else does, I mean Bonnie and Elena didn't want you, your own parents didn't want you, Damon tried to kill you although I don't know why I stopped him but thinking about it I should have just let him as it would be another waste of oxygen gone from this planet" _to which she coldly glared at him not even flinching as she thought she never came across someone so malicious before ever in her life.

She knew there and then he was worse then Elena and Bonnie put together as she wondered why he was so bitter about everything especially when it came to Damon having something he didn't have as she realized she felt sorry for Stefan and thought he was pathetic.

She wasn't hurt by his words in any way since it was what she felt about herself her whole life so he was only telling her truth and what everyone else back in Mystic Falls thought about her so it not like she cared what he thought or at least that's what she told herself.

Stefan coldly added "_oh come on Caroline, you seriously didn't think people actually liked you back in Mystic Falls, the only reason Damon got you out of the tomb was because he was trying the sacrifice delayed so Elena wouldn't be turned into a vampire which was your fault again"_ with a bitter smirk as Caroline just rolled her eyes hiding the fact those words cut like a knife.

It was when they were fighting like this that she wished Damon would just walk through the door because she couldn't handle Stefan's words anymore as she wondered just how someone could hate someone else so much and what was worse was Stefan knew what nerves to aim for and it worked every time but she was getting better not letting him see it affect her and she knew it was another thing she picked up from Damon.

Caroline had enough of Stefan always putting her down and using all her insecurities against her as she wondered why it took her so long to see him for what he was really like which was a cocky ripper asshole and it was no wonder Damon avoided him when he was like this.

She scoffed as she glared at him sarcastically retorting "_ouch, what are you gonna do kill me" _rolling her eyes before tossing back another drink not believing he was playing this card for the millionth time.

Stefan retorted "_if I have to, although I might as well considering I'd be doing everyone a favor" _sounding bored tossing back a drink.

Caroline lightly quipped "_is that a promise" _slightly raising her eyebrow almost challenging him before bitterly adding "_kind of unnecessary don't you think, I mean with your track record I'll __be staking myself by the end of the day" _voice dripping with venomous sarcasm.

Stefan was stunned silent as he wasn't expecting this reaction from her because anything he threw at her over the past month she just took it and ignored him but he didn't care and he knew he really didn't care about her considering he had flipped the switch off and didn't feel anything anymore.

She hated the way he cut her down sharp like a blade but she had this treatment her whole life as she added with a hint of boredom "_while I'm waiting to stake myself ,why don't you give me some ripper stories" _looking up from her glass to meet his cold glare.

She coldly smirked continuing "_tell me what the smell of a new born's neck is like, did the girls put on a good show, did the guys try to fight you, did you slap her around real nice before you killed her" _slightly raising her eyebrow_ "tenderize them a little and when you gave them the shaft they never saw it coming" _voice dripping with disgust.

Her expression matched her voice as she added " _did you give into your uncontrollable impulses like ripping throats out, look at yourself Stefan, your pathetic, all this time you claim to want me but you couldn't see past Elena for dust, you couldn't run a comb through your hair, you know evil doesn't have to mean sloppy" _tossing back another drink not realizing the bottle was nearly empty.

Stefan slightly flinched again which she also noticed to which he hated that she was getting to him so easily and she reminded him of Damon and she wasn't that weak pathetic person she was when she was human anymore.

They fell into a tense silence as Stefan wondered just when she got so cold, cynical and angry as he had never seen this side of her before as a small whisper in his mind told him he probably didn't help in turning her into this with he manipulating her and treating her like shit for the past month and making everything about Elena but he ignored it and pushed it to the back of him mind getting up for another drink.

He got up to refill his glass retorting "_hitting a nerve Caroline, feeling like your not living up to just how bad a vampire can be, there's no need to be jealous or inferior, I mean you don't have an inferior complex, you're just inferior" _darkly chuckling as he tossed back a drink and refilled the glass.

He sat back down bitterly adding "_not only that but you were also the biggest slut in Mystic Falls and everyone knew it, did the sight of a guy make you all buttery in your nether regions, if so could do something about that" _smugly winking at her.

Caroline coldly smirked retorting "_oh you just don't do it for me anymore considering I have to fake it with you" _pausing as she thought about it_ "now Damon, no faking it there with him unlike you, are you sure you both are related or did Damon just get all the good genes among other things" _raising her eyebrow suggestively as Stefan's jaw slightly dropped at the fact she would stoop so low but it shut him up which was what she was aiming for and she would say anything to get that smug grin off his face.

Stefan's jaw tensed and she knew she hit him where it hurt and she didn't care knowing he deserved it, he deserved to get a taste of what he had been dishing out to her over the last month as she wondered if she would be able to kill him here and now but she was wary of trying it as she knew he was stronger then her when he was on human blood.

Even though Damon taught her how to overpower a vampire that was stronger and older then her she still didn't want to risk it but then she had gone through a whole bottle of tequila so she was starting to question her own judgment and wished she had remained sober so then she would be able to focus on killing him once and for all and she didn't care if it meant Damon would come after her for killing his brother as if anyone was going to kill Stefan it would be Damon.

Stefan couldn't understand why she was so hostile to him since in his eyes all he done was be himself which was what she wanted and he hated being on the animal diet as it just left him with a crippling morality complex.

But he also knew he didn't really care and while he could say he hated her and blamed her for Katherine killing Elena he knew he would be just lying to himself and everyone else.

He knew he was better off being a ripper cos then at least he didn't have to feel bad about all the bad things he had done over the years and it was so much easier when he just flipped the switch and shut everything off and chose not to feel anything.

He broke the silence asking "_what happened to you Caroline, you used to be so nice" _drinking from the refilled glass feeling smug all over again and she knew he was trying to repeat the whole argument as she wondered did he get off on fighting with her.

She tossed back another drink feeling like she was going to kill someone by the end of this argument narrowing her eyes deciding to play him at his own game as she lightly quipped "h_ey, remember that time when you wanted to kill yourself the first time Elena saw you fall off the wagon and you felt all weepy over being such a bad little vampire" _raising her eyebrow_ "do you still feel that way, do you still wanna die" _narrowing her eyes "_because if you do...let me do it for you" _not hiding the coldness and hatred in her voice and she could have swore he slightly flinched again but he hid it too well for her to really notice it like the last few times.

_S_tefan was speechless as she added "_and for the record I know exactly what happened that night, Damon didn't leave me, I know it was you and Katherine that set the whole thing up to make it look like he left me and you know what" _raising her eyebrow coldly adding "_it just shows how pathetic you are and Damon is worth a billion of you and you will never be anything like him" _before finishing of what was left in the bottle.

She felt the need for more alcohol getting up and walking over to the table picking up the bottle of bourbon and taking a long drink before she coldly added "_and for the record I would choose Damon over you every time because at least he's honest about everything" _putting the bottle down and walking out of the room.

She didn't make it to the door before he slammed her into the wall in the living area and punching a hole beside her head with his hand to which she didn't even flinch but just sarcastically chuckled at him while glaring at him coldly knowing she hit a raw nerve and it was about time he got a taste of his own medicine.

It also proved her right that he let Damon think she left him and she hated Stefan more then Katherine for doing that to her and Damon and before she knew it he punched into her chest wrapping his fingers around her heart as they silently glared at each other as he thought about ripping her heart out and she wore an expression that was goading him into doing it as she told him "_you don't have the balls to do it" _glaring at him in disgust waiting for him to just do it.

They were so caught up in their argument they didn't notice that two people were outside and heard the whole thing and they didn't hear them walking into the room when they were interrupted by a voice that said "_hello brother" _as Caroline and Stefan looked over to see Damon in a defensive stance coldly glaring at his brother with Katherine behind him looking equally pissed off and Caroline was in shock when she saw Damon and had to blink to make sure he was really there and not figment of her imagination.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. (Damon's back and he isn't one happy camper)<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**a/n: thanks for your reviews and alerts.**

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><p>Damon seen Stefan's hand in Caroline's chest and knew right well what would have happened if they hadn't arrived when they did but Caroline was still frozen on the spot as she was afraid if she moved Stefan would rip her heart right out.<p>

She let out a tense breath she didn't know she was holding when Stefan let her go to which she moved away from him thinking what the hell came over her to provoke him like that and the look on Damon's face told her it wasn't over yet.

There was a tense silence that felt like it went on forever with Damon and Katherine on one side of the room glaring at Stefan who was on the other side of the room while Caroline moved to the middle of the room to get away from Stefan but she wasn't sure if Damon was here to kill her or talk to her and she hoped it was to talk to her but you never knew with Damon since he was unpredictable.

Stefan glared at Damon spitting "_what are you doing here, you got what you wanted, so what is it, don't tell me your bored and you want Caroline back" _with a cold glare and a smirk to match.

Damon knew this Stefan as he retorted "_back on the human blood and yet you want Caroline on the animal blood" _seeing Caroline's surprised expression in the corner of his eye.

Damon angrily retorted "_oh I heard everything you said and I should kill you for talking to my girl that way especially since you did make her think I left her" _as Caroline looked at him in surprise not sure where she stood now as she wondered did he hate her or did he want her back and she hoped it was the last one but she wasn't getting her hopes up.

Stefan smugly retorted "_Katherine was in on it too" _as Damon coldly smirked at him.

Katherine retorted "_did you tell them how you were going to torture Caroline until you got her to see that it was Damon who tried to kill her and make her think he didn't care about her" _raising an eyebrow adding "_that's low Stefan ,even for you as a ripper" _in a harsh tone of voice.

Damon coldly retorted "_oh I know, she told me and then she bought me here" _glaring at Stefan thinking he was going to kill him too when he's done as Katherine remained silent but glaring at Stefan.

Caroline moved a little closer to Damon as she spoke "_she was in on it too, I knew it and I have to say I'm not surprised" _more to herself glaring at Katherine before turning to Damon adding "_I didn't leave you Damon, Stefan told me you tried to kill me" _hoping her words got through to him.

Damon didn't look at her as he was just too angry with Stefan and he didn't want to have this conversation with her when Stefan and Katherine were in the room but he did noticed that glimpse of self loathing on her face and coldness in her eyes and wondered just what the hell happened and why wasn't she the same Caroline she was a month ago.

He knew he was definitely going to talk to her alone but right now he had a score to settle with Stefan for once again trying to ruin his life and even though he was still hurt over Katherine's part in it he was really going to make her and Stefan pay.

Damon wanted nothing more then to just rip Stefan's heart out but for some reason unknown to him he wanted an explanation first asking "_why did you do it Stefan" _angrily not sure if he was going to like what he was going to hear, but he didn't care, he just wanted know.

Stefan scoffed in disgust retorting "_you don't deserve anyone Damon, least of all Caroline considering you would have just killed her when you got bored so I saved you the bother of having to do it" _with a smug expression.

Caroline interjected "_it wasn't your place Stefan and you know it" _glaring at Stefan with a defensive stance feeling more confident now that Damon was here.

Stefan coldly chuckled retorting "_oh come on Caroline, don't tell me your still hung up on him, you can do so much better" _voice dripping with disgust with an expression to match.

Stefan still glared at Damon adding "_no one respects you Damon even when we were human, father hated you and so did everyone else in Mystic Falls, Katherine and Caroline just felt sorry for you along with Elena but then they did say they would always choose me" _feeling quite smug as Damon coldly glared at him.

Katherine angrily interjected "_that's not true Stefan and you know it so don't you make assumptions on what I think or feel, I may have hurt Damon twice but I still respected him in some ways" _hating the pang of guilt of hurting Damon for a second time.

Caroline interjected "_same here Stefan, don't assume to know what I feel and I already told you plenty of times it would always be Damon, I would choose him over you anyday" _glaring at Stefan.

Damon couldn't help that feeling in his chest at her words of choosing him over his brother but he didn't let it show as he coldly glared at Stefan as Caroline wished Stefan would just leave so she could talk to Damon.

She tried not to take the fact that Damon hadn't even looked at her personally knowing he had a score to settle with his brother but she also couldn't help feel she also betrayed him by not going to find him and settling for Stefan and that fact that she couldn't get rid of the feeling that told her she didn't deserve Damon after hurting him like she did.

She hated that feeling of being so insecure in herself and hated her stupid vampire emotions being heightened because it made everything seem worse then it probably was and she thought she was doomed to be a insecure, neurotic control freak on crack for eternity.

Stefan smugly spat at Damon "_you don't even have her respect, you have no ones respect" _to which Damon felt a sense of déjà vu and was about to tell Stefan to get the fuck out of the house.

Before he had the chance to react Caroline stormed over to Stefan punching him in the face angrily interjecting "_I've always respected Damon although I'm starting to question why I ever thought of you as a friend and for the record I'm not your friend and if I see you again after tonight I will kill you" _not hiding the menace behind her threat much to Damon's surprise as no one ever defended him like this.

Stefan bitterly retorted "_your pathetic Caroline and you always will be because you will believe anything he tells you" _looking at her with disgust to which Damon rammed him up against the wall gripping him by the throat to which Stefan darkly chuckled.

Stefan shrugged him off him walking over to the drinks table picking up a bottle and drinking from it before adding "_did you know Katherine was involved with this all along, it was her idea because she wanted Damon all to herself and she couldn't stand the idea of someone else having him so she told me to get Caroline alone and then she would convince Damon that you left" _looking at Caroline smugly.

Damon interjected "_you forgot to mention how you were going to torture Caroline until she saw things your way even though Katherine told you she didn't want to go along with it, and it was cold Stefan even for you and we all know just how cold you can be" _not hiding the venom in his voice.

Stefan flinched and it didn't go unmissed by either Damon or Caroline as Damon coldly glared at Stefan while Caroline felt her anger boil over lunging at Stefan throwing him across the room against the wall much to Damon's surprise as he didn't think she had it in her but she obviously did as he darkly chuckled in amusement at Stefan who was now picking himself up off the floor looking at Caroline in shock.

Stefan lunged at Caroline but she was ready and pushed him away from her sending him crashing into the other wall to which Damon rushed over picking Stefan up and punching him in the face before breaking his arm and letting him fall on the floor.

Caroline glared at Stefan adding "_I hate you Stefan, I knew something wasn't quite right about that night but I didn't think you would stoop this low or at least I told myself that" _with disgust in her voice hating herself for not seeing through his lies a lot sooner.

Stefan stood up again retorting "_she's mine Damon, she'll always be mine just like Katherine was mine and Elena was mine" _looking at them smugly.

Damon darkly chuckled as he moved to stand behind Caroline glaring at Stefan replying "_she was never your's and she will never will be" _putting his hands on her hips standing right up close behind her with their bodies touching as she leaned back into him realizing she missed his touch more then she thought she did.

She felt shivers down her spine as she felt Damon smell along her neck and moving his hands across her lower abdomen as he glared at Stefan who bitterly spoke "_you need to make a choice Caroline, its me or Damon" _feeling confident that she would choose him now that she seen Damon at his worst.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at Stefan retorting with no hesitation "_I choose Damon and it will always be Damon, I already told you that so get it through your thick head, I could never love you Stefan and I don't want to because I see you for what you really are and that's a liar and you and Katherine are perfect for each other" _not hiding the venom in her voice and the relief she felt when Damon tightened his grip on her.

Damon glared at Stefan angrily adding _"Caroline has never belonged to anybody but if you want her come and get her" _narrowing his eyes at his brother almost challenging him to have a go at him.

Stefan swallowed a lump in his throat before lunging for Caroline but was blocked by Damon who was now standing in front of her pushing Stefan back across the room to which Stefan quickly regained himself and lunged for Damon pinning him to the wall behind Caroline tightening his grip on his throat with his hand.

Damon darkly chuckled as he lightly quipped "_you sound jealous, does he sound jealous" _glancing over at Caroline and glaring at his brother before pushing him off him.

Caroline lightly quipped "_you kind of do Stefan and I will never be yours or anybody's because I'm my own person and its not 1864 where women are considered as weak, fragile and treated like they don't know their own minds, so wake up the world has moved on" _coldly glaring at Stefan.

Damon glared at Stefan as he spat "_you know your problem Stefan"_ pausing before adding "_I happen to like the edge like any other vampire but you have this inability to resist falling over it" _as Stefan slightly growled under his breath hating that Damon was hitting a nerve he didn't want to admit was there.

Stefan scoffed before retorting "_I don't hurt people. I don't do that. I'm the good brother" _not hiding the smugness in his voice as Damon shook his head in disbelief while Caroline scoffed in disbelief.

Damon bitterly chuckled retorting "_you cant fool us like you did with Elena and we all know the closet you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it" _as Stefan internally flinched at Damon's words knowing he spoke the truth.

Stefan hated the way Damon could punch below the belt and it hurt him but when he threw a comment at Damon he just deflected it like it didn't bother him but then Damon was the one who got put down by people his whole life so he was used to being thought of that way.

Stefan ran his hand through his hair and started pacing the floor before he stopped and looked at Damon adding "_I have this hunger inside of me that I've never felt in my entire life, __you should be happy Damon this is what you wanted__" _to which Damon just rolled his eyes thinking his brother was stupid cos he just didn't get it as he thought about what to say to get it through Stefan's head.

Damon rolled his eyes again muttering in frustration "_urgh_ _I need a drink" _noticing Caroline slightly laughing at what he said as he walked over to the drinks table and looking at the bottles picking up a bottle of bourbon and opening it adding "_I see someone has learned good taste when it comes to bourbon" _looking up at Caroline keeping his expression firm but she could see in his eyes he was happy to see her and also talking to her.

He took a long drink from the bottle and she never got the chance to say anything to him as he turned facing Stefan adding "_you're a cocky ripper douche bag, why do you think I avoided you all those times you fell off the wagon, your annoying Stefan either way, I mean when your not on the human blood all you do is brood and add extra lines to an already overcrowded forehead, so tell me do you ever get tired being so righteous, is that the reason for falling off the wagon yet again, tell me how do you do the brooding thing so well" _not hiding the sarcasm in his voice.

Katherine smirked at the scene unfolding in front of her while Caroline was also smirking and trying not to laugh at Stefan's expression to Damon's words and she also wondered if he had flipped the switch because he was acting more like he was when she was human and she found it strange it didn't scare her but then she knew she had also changed and she flipped the switch too ages ago since choosing not to feel was the only way she could deal with Stefan.

She also loved the way Damon seemed to be the one making a meal out of Stefan with insults as it was normally Stefan and her fighting and her storming off because she couldn't deal with him anymore but as she watched Damon it was like he was made for antagonizing Stefan but then he did have his whole vampire and human life of dealing with Stefan.

A tense silence feel in the room with Stefan glaring at Damon before retorting "_its__ precision born out of tragic boredom"_ coldly and firmly as Damon rolled his eyes taking a long drink from the bottle.

Damon replied "_all __that effort wasted trying to tell you how boring you were and you finally agree with me" _raising the bottle in the air as a toast.

Katherine softly chuckled as she sat down in the chair crossing her legs wondering why the hell she didn't come clean sooner if this scene was going to happen and she was glad Damon didn't kill her because then she would have missed this but then a feeling told her he probably would kill her when he's finished but she pushed it away not realizing Caroline had seen her somber expression when she was deep in thought.

Caroline glanced over at Katherine to see a dark expression mixed with regret on her face and she thought Katherine might have regretted what she did but she knew Katherine well enough know she didn't regret anything as a voice in her mind told her that maybe she changed because she sure as hell knew she had changed over the month with Stefan.

She was broken from her thoughts as Stefan coldly retorted "_It's all fun and games __with you Damon, you don't care about anyone other then yourself, all people are to you is just walking blood bags" _to which Caroline bitterly interjected "_no that's just you Stefan" _as Stefan continued "_but wherever you go people die" _in a cold tone of voice and an expression to match.

Caroline hated that Stefan was using her and Damon's past against him and Damon was glad she indirectly stood up for him but he didn't show it as he lightly quipped "_well I did promise you an eternity of misery and unlike you I'm just keeping my promise" _glaring coldly at Stefan.

Caroline hated that Stefan was still doing this and couldn't hold back any longer as she spat at him "_we're vampires Stefan, we're meant to act like them but you just seem to want to be a human with fangs or at least you did when you were on the animal blood and look where that has gotten you" _as Stefan looked over at her.

Caroline coldly added "_all this self denial about what you really are is probably why you're a ripper in the first place, maybe instead of starving yourself of human blood, you should have been learning how to control it" _glaring at Stefan not hiding the anger in her voice.

Damon thought it was about time someone else told Stefan what he has been telling him for years as Stefan retorted "_you don't get it Caroline, we're not meant to kill people but at the same time I want to kill people" _as Damon rolled his eyes at the way Stefan completely contradicted himself.

Katherine let out a snort of laughter as Caroline yelled "_your such a fucking contradiction and you cant even see it" _shaking her head in disbelief.

Damon shook his head in disbelief taking another much needed drink from the bottle before he added "o_h well, then you should just carry on making the rest of us vampires look bad_" sarcasm dripping from his voice as Caroline walked over to the table picking up a bottle of tequila and drinking from it.

She wasn't sure why she picked up another bottle and walked over to Katherine and handed it to her and even Katherine was surprised that Caroline gave her something to drink but she didn't know that Caroline seen the look of regret on her face earlier.

After that Caroline couldn't help think differently about Katherine and while she was so angry at Katherine she could sort of understand why Katherine done what she did and she couldn't help think that maybe Elena thought she took Damon away from her but she pushed that thought away knowing that it was bullshit and Damon didn't belong to anybody.

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><p>As Damon and Stefan argued some more and Katherine watched them Caroline thought about what Katherine done as she wondered did she want another chance with Damon so badly that she let Stefan talk her into going along with her plan but she knew Katherine could never be talked into anything.<p>

Too many question were going around her head and she knew only one person could answer them but she wasn't sure if she had the nerve to go and talk to Katherine but Katherine could feel her eyes on her so she looked over at her quipping "_something on your mind" _to which Caroline was surprised there was no malicious tone in her voice.

Caroline sat down remaining silent taking a drink from the bottle to which Katherine rolled her eyes getting up and said "_lets go talk" _walking past her over to the other room away from Stefan and Damon to which Caroline followed her thinking this was a bad idea considering Damon and Stefan were nearly killing each other on the spot so they wouldn't hear it if something did happen but it was too late to back out now.

Katherine looked at her quipping "_spit it out, you know you wanna ask" _surprising Caroline again with a genuine expression but wasn't surprised that Katherine was going to make her tell her what was on her mind.

Caroline slightly hesitated as she softly spoke "_why did you do it, go along with Stefan I mean" _taking another drink from the bottle as a distraction as Katherine thought about her answer.

She finally spoke "_because I thought I wanted Damon back, I saw you together and I wanted it, now that Klaus is dead it means I don't have to run anymore, for the first time in five hundred years I'm free and no more looking over my shoulder, Damon once told me to enjoy eternity alone and it scares me, I was alone for 500 years for a reason, but I don't want that anymore" _genuinely and Caroline's jaw slightly dropped in her honesty.

Caroline softly replied "_can I ask something" _and when Katherine nodded her head she added "_why did you do what you did to Damon" _with no judgment in her voice much to her suprise.

Katherine softly replied "_I didn't want him to be on the run from Klaus for eternity, I don't believe in love, it makes us weak but I couldn't put him through it and I told him that" _not hiding the softness in her voice.

Caroline swallowed a lump in her throat before asking "_and now" _not really wanting to know the answer.

Katherine softly replied "_I loved the last month with Damon but all he could think about was you and I realized we both have moved on and I still care about him and only want him as a friend but I think I blew that" _with a regretful expression on her face.

Caroline softly replied "_I think I've ruined it with Damon I don't thinks he wants me anymore not after being with Stefan" _giving a soft regretful smile.

Katherine replied "_that's bullshit all he could think about was you the whole time" _in a genuine voice which she found hard to get used to as it wasn't something she done.

Katherine added "_he wouldn't be here if he didn't want you anymore, he nearly ripped my heart out when I told him but he didn't because I could get him here quicker, just give him a chance, he really does love you" _putting her hand on her shoulder in support.

Caroline couldn't believe Katherine was completely honest with her but she didn't know Katherine couldn't believe she was just as honest with her but Katherine told Damon she would help him get Caroline back and that's exactly what she was going to do.

But she didn't know Caroline felt so worthless and that she didn't deserve Damon or deserve to be happy considering Stefan constantly told her how worthless she always was she was even more insecure then she ever was.

She knew that Damon probably thought that they could just go back to the way things were before but she knew they had changed, things had changed, she had changed, she was even more insecure then she ever was and she didn't deserve Damon and he didn't deserve to have to put up with her insecurities.

She also couldn't help think that Damon would probably want nothing more to with her anymore and she didn't blame him if he just walked out of here and never looked back.

She couldn't help think that he only came here to get back at Stefan and Katherine for screwing him over by making him think that Caroline left him for good.

But what she didn't know was the Damon came back for her or at least she didn't want to believe he did because she hated herself so much for hurting him she didn't think it was true.

She didn't know that Damon nearly killed Katherine for her and was about to rip the bitch's heart out when he remembered Alaric saying something along the lines of get the information out of someone before you kill them not the other way around.

She didn't know that he would have torn the world apart to get her back and that he spent the last month completely miserable without her and was this close to driving a stake through his heart until Katherine told him the truth.

What he didn't know was just how much she thought about him over the last month and how she thought of going to find him but she didn't because she thought he hated her for leaving him.

He didn't know just how broken she was inside and that she hated herself but she didn't know the he felt the same way so now they were both stuck in a river of self hatred but Damon was determined to get Caroline back even though a voice whispered in his mind that she didn't want him he was determined to make her see it was only her he wanted.

Katherine knew Caroline thought she wasn't good enough for Damon as she tried to convince her that Damon wouldn't be here if he didn't want to be here and she even said it to Caroline.

But Caroline wasn't convinced as Katherine softly told her "_look at the way he's talking to Stefan, is that the words of someone who doesn't want you, or cares about you, let me tell you something about Damon, when he loves and fights its intense,, you either embrace it or want to run away from it, and you're running away from it, don't make the same mistake I did by running away from it because you will regret it" _in a genuine tone before softly adding "_I know I do" _giving her a soft smile not hiding the regret in her eyes.

Caroline shook her head looking off to the side whispering "_but I'm not Elena" _to which Katherine replied "_do you see Elena here" _raising her eyebrow as Caroline looked at her quizzically.

Caroline shook her head mumbling "_no" _looking at Katherine who just replied "_no, because I killed her and who did he leave Mystic Falls with to get away from" _raising her eyebrow.

Caroline stuttered "_um me, to get away from Elena" _as Katherine just smiled at her.

Katherine added "_he left for you Caroline, if he loved Elena he still would have stayed there, he told me that he only seen in her what he wanted to see in me" _with a slight sadness in her voice remembering how she heard that the doppelganger bitch manipulated both him and Stefan.

Caroline was completely surprised by this new Katherine but she wasn't buying it even though she thought that Katherine did seem to be genuine.

She just couldn't bring herself to trust anything Katherine said especially the bit about how Damon can be so intense it can scare you off and even more she totally understood where Katherine was coming from.

She knew Katherine was right in what she said, she was scared of the way Damon would do anything for her and it was too intense for her liking and it scared the hell out of her so much.

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><p>It wasn't long before they were interrupted by Damon who walked into the room with a chillingly calm expression to which Katherine looked at him suspiciously as she spoke "<em>where Stefan" <em>curiously but he ignored her instead looking at Caroline not hiding the softness in his eyes.

Katherine's jaw slightly dropped in realization when she couldn't sense Stefan spat out "_you killed him" _with shock in her voice while Caroline just looked slightly suspicious as she knew Damon wouldn't just kill his brother but she also knew he was capable of anything.

Damon ignored the bitch looking at Caroline instead asking "_can we talk_" but she couldn't handle the forgiving expression on his face, it was too much and Katherine was right it was too intense and it she was scared of it because she realized there and then he would do anything for her.

She couldn't look away from him not hiding her broken expression and the pain in her eyes but she felt like a massive weight was crushing her so she done the one thing she always done and she hated herself for doing it but she knew he deserved better then her.

Her expression looked broken as she whispered "_I'm sorry for everything" _and ran past him and out of the house far away from here.

She ran and ran for miles not knowing where she was going but she knew she had to get as far away from him and Katherine as possible feeling like she didn't deserve Damon at all but the look on his face when he asked to talk just showed he forgave her and it crushed her.

She didn't think he would really come for her, sure she imagined it and wished it but she never believed for a second it would happen and it did.

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><p>Damon's expression fell as he looked completely stunned looking at Katherine who told him "<em>go after her" <em>to which he shook his head in disagreement thinking if this is what she wants then he will leave her alone.

Katherine put her hands on his shoulders looking at him adding "_she's scared, that's why she ran, she doesn't think she deserves you not after being with Stefan, so she ran, you had no problem chasing after me in 1864 so go after her" _more firmly.

He looked at her blankly to when she asked "_why did you kill Stefan" _hating that he took away the one thing she still wanted but she wasn't going to tell him she still wanted Stefan even though he knew she wanted Stefan as always.

He glared at her before coldly retorting "_I took away the one thing you took from me, you know what they say paybacks a bitch and I will never forgive you for this and I never want to see you again because if I do, I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat" _in a menacing tone angrily glaring at her before turning and walking away.

He made to the front door when she softly added "_you have to fight for her so go after her" _as he swallowed the lump in his throat thinking maybe he should just leave once and for all considering she literally ran out of the room.

Katherine watched him leave hoping he would go after her but she knew he was too pissed off and hurt so he would probably do what he always done and that was drown himself in a river of denial and alcohol and then someone will end up dead.

Katherine also couldn't believe just how things turned out and wished she never went along with this stupid plan but if she didn't then she wouldn't have gotten time with Damon over the last month.

She was even more surprised when she wished she could take it all back because then at least then Damon would be happy with Caroline and Stefan would still be alive even if he was playing a major role in the depopulation of humans in the area.

She knew Damon would never forgive her as the look in his eyes told him that and she also knew the never was a very long time for a vampire as she angrily muttered to herself "_congratulations on the mess you made of things" _before storming out of the house into the cool night air feeling the need to get very far away from here before Damon decided to come back and kill for good.

She knew Damon wouldn't hunt her down like Klaus did but she really didn't want to stick around to find out and she sort of hoped he would listen to her and fight for Caroline and not just give up but something told her he wouldn't after all he spent 145 years trying to get her back and she had a feeling she would see both of them again.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: this is the last chapter of this story. thank you all for your reviews, alerts and even if you read it anonomously. im not sure if anyone is even still reading this as its completely out of character and this is an extra long chapter so enjoy.**

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><p>Damon left the house still wondering if he should go after her thinking to himself who was he kidding, of course he would go after her and make her see he still wanted her and he didn't care how long it took plus he was so pissed off at her but more so at himself.<p>

He knew that look in her eyes when she said sorry and ran out and he knew she flipped the switch and even more he knew she really hated herself as he wore that expression for a long time until he started up with her on the road trip.

But then at the same time he didn't blame her for running knowing she was just as big a fool as he was for believing both Stefan and Katherine's lies deciding he was going to find her because he really wanted to talk to her and tell her he wasn't angry at her and he never could be.

He needed to tell her it was Stefan and Katherine he was pissed off with for doing what they did but a whisper in his mind told him it was because she thought he killed Stefan but he pushed it away.

It was a while before he found Caroline as even in her pissed off state she still managed to cover her tracks much to his amusement as he taught her how to do it but he was also angry that Stefan and his attitude probably forced her to do it to get away from him.

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><p>She was standing on the beach front facing the water when she felt his presence knowing it was real and she wasn't just wishing it this time but she didn't want to turn around and see that angry look in his eyes directed at her for being with Stefan and that she left him.<p>

Damon stood a good distance away from her just watching her before walking towards her knowing she knew he was there wondering just how she managed to bring out something in him he didn't know was there even when he was with Katherine and was pining after Elena.

He was few feet behind her when she softly spoke "_why are you here Damon" _her voice filled with anger that she hated herself for feeling as she thought if she turned around he would disappear along with she never felt so damn lost before in her whole life.

Damon swallowed the lump in his throat thinking about his answer but never got the chance as she continued "_its not like I want you here, besides you can do so much better then me, I mean I was with Stefan for the last month that's even worse then leaving you" _and he flinched at the coldness in her voice knowing what she was doing as a silence fell.

She was pushing him away and he hated it, he hated that she changed, that Stefan drove her to what she is now which is a shadow of her former self and he hated it, he hated Stefan for doing this to her.

Even more he hated himself for being so stupid in not seeing that Katherine would pull something like this with Stefan, he knew Katherine was a manipulative bitch and he hated himself for not questioning things a lot sooner or even wanting to question things.

He knew if he had figured it out straight away he would have gone after her and killed Stefan but no he had to drown himself in a river of self loathing like a coward thinking that Caroline left him as he mentally rolled his eyes in disgust of it all but mainly at himself.

He hated himself even more for believing Katherine's lies and wished he saw through them sooner and he was broken from his thoughts when she firmly added "_I mean it Damon, you should leave, it would save you a whole world of hurt that isn't worth it" _pausing before softly whispering "_I'm not worth it" _so low if he was human he would have missed it and he didn't miss the brokenness in her voice even if she did try to hide it.

He knew she was lying to him and he hated it and it hurt, he didn't know why he kept putting himself out there to be rejected but he knew he had to fight for this as Katherine's words echoed in his head while his gut instinct told him to just leave but he ignored it.

He was still standing behind her as he spoke "_that's where you're wrong and I'm not going anywhere" _still standing in the same spot but didn't notice her flinch at his words but then she could hide it too well for anyone to notice.

She slightly shook her head in disbelief knowing that he was never one to take a hint but she couldn't let him get closer to her again deciding she would have to be cruel to be kind figuring she was doing him a huge favor retorting "_still cant take the hint even after Katherine and Elena, do I have to stake myself to get away from you" _in a cold tone of voice instantly hating herself just that bit more then she already did as she stared towards the horizon.

Damon flinched at her words but he saw through her lies and knew what she was doing, he knew she was pushing him away as a defense mechanism as he done it for as long as he could remember.

He swallowed the lump in his throat replying "_that wont work with me, pushing me away wont work, I've done it for over a century Caroline and it nearly killed me" _softly letting her know just what she was trying to do.

She kept her gaze at the horizon but it fell to her feet at his words and she hated that he saw through her so easily, hated that he knew her too well to see that she was pushing him away.

She didn't say anything as he continued "_I know you flipped the switch, I don't blame you for it having to put with Stefan but don't let it destroy you" _to which she scoffed and rolled her eyes in disbelief at his hypocrisy thinking why the hell did he care its not like he did before.

Caroline hated he was getting to her as she thought why didn't he get it, why didn't he get she hated herself for being such a fucking coward and taking the easy way out by believing Stefan's lies but what she didn't know was he felt the same way but he was more angry at himself then anyone else.

Damon softly smirked to himself thinking finally a reaction knowing he was getting through to her but he didn't know just how much she hated herself for letting him break through the walls she had put in place over the time with Stefan and just how angry she was with herself for not trusting Damon.

Caroline bitterly retorted "_why do you suddenly care, its not like you ever did before unless it was Elena" _as he thought not this again figuring Stefan must have used this against her too often.

Damon simply replied firmly "_I always cared about you and I'm saying it because it will destroy you, it destroyed me" _not hiding the softness and openness in his voice moving to stand in front of her.

She looked away from him thinking whatever as she really didn't care anymore and she didn't want to care as he firmly added "_I flipped the switch after I turned and I spent a century and a half hating everything and everyone including myself until finally I didn't care if people lived or died" _to which she bitterly added "_I know all about that, you don't need to remind me" _hitting him where it hurt.

Damon knew what she was hitting at and didn't flinch finding it strange he wasn't bothered by her words shaking his head in disbelief replying "_that's not going to work, you told me you forgave me for that ages ago so that card doesn't work, you're gonna have to do better" _raising his eyebrow at her with a soft smirk almost challenging her to have another stab at him.

She didn't say anything so he added "_I see you're already there, you're already trying to push me away but it wont work, I've been where you are right now so I know exactly what you are trying to do" _feeling confident he was right especially when she continued to glare at something off to the side.

He knew she was trying to keep the walls up and her reactions proved he was getting through them so he kept pushing her asking "_why did you flip the switch, was it to deal with Stefan, was it because you hated me for leaving you, was it because you hated Stefan for letting me think that you left me" _pausing when he noticed her expression falter.

He recognized that broken look in her eyes and the battle she was having with herself as she stared harder towards the horizon softly adding "_or is it because you hate yourself, you hate yourself for believing him, you hate yourself for not looking for me, you hate yourself because you done the one thing you swore you would never do and that was leave me, you let me go and you hate yourself for it and you feel a part of yourself die every time you think of it" _moving closer to her putting his hands on her shoulders.

She was still looking anywhere other then him but could feel his eyes burning into her and she hated he was getting through and he was right but she wouldn't let him see it even though she felt the walls start to crumble but she would fight him all the way.

Damon knew she was having a raging war inside her so he continued "y_ou hate yourself because all you could think about was me and you let me go, and every time you lay awake at night all you thought about was me but you were still hating yourself all day and when the night came that was when you got to see me again, it was the only time you would see me and it was real, I was here not going anywhere but then the moon would fade and I died with you, I know because it was the same for me" _falling silent hating seeing her like this when she furrowed her eyebrows with her eyes full of water she wouldn't let them fall trying to hold them back.

She still didn't look at him fighting a raging war inside her to just run and never look back because she was afraid if she didn't it would be like them dreams she had of him where she would wake up and he'd be gone just like a pile of dust.

She didn't see the raw emotion on his face and the teared up eyes but she could smell the tears and sense his expression hating that his words hit so close to home knowing he was right but she was afraid if she acknowledged he was there he would disappear on her again and she couldn't handle it if that happened again.

She bitterly replied "_I don't want you, so leave me the fuck alone" _going to walk away.

He stopped her retorting "_your lying to me and your lying to yourself" _looking at her intensively to which she pushed him away from her.

She took her chance and walked away to which he angrily added "_have I hit a nerve, you know for you to be angry at me means you have to feel something" _before running after her.

She knew he would follow her so she turned yelling "_what the hell do you want from me Damon, do you want me to say I'm all torn by your words, well guess what I did fucking miss you, I did want to find you but I thought you left me because that's what you do Damon, you leave people, you get what you want out of them and then you drop them before they can hurt you" _to which he flinched at the coldness of her words but he knew she was right.

She noticed it but she wasn't deterred continuing "_I'm so fucking pissed off with myself for being such a fucking coward and not coming to find you and fight for you and for not trusting you, anyway like you can talk you didn't want to find me so you just stayed in your river of denial thinking you only deserved Katherine and to never be happy so you're the coward Damon, its not just me" _as an angry tear escaped running down her cheek.

She glanced off to the side calming herself down a bit before she added "_the only reason you're here is because of Katherine, if she hadn't said anything you'd still be with her and the thing about it is, you also hate yourself for believing all her lies again, you hate yourself for staying with her for all that time and drowning yourself in a bottle of bourbon thinking I left you when I didn't so don't you come here telling me how much I hate myself when we both know that its you who's hated themselves more in the last 146 years then I have in my whole life and yours put together" _angrily glaring at him.

He glared back at her hating the way she got under his skin so much furiously retorting "_oh you're a piece of work, I like you" _letting her know what she said didn't affect him even if they did internally flinching at her words to which she rolled her eyes.

He continued "_how do you think I felt, your not the only one that can flip the switch" _looking at her intensively as she glared at him.

She watched him intently much to his delight as he angrily added "_do you not think I wanted to find you but thinking all along that you left me, do you not think I hate myself for not seeing through Katherine a lot sooner, I hate myself for knowing that if she still hadn't said anything I'd still be in a river of hating myself so that will tell you how much of a coward I am" _to which she noticed his eyes wet with tears from angry emotions that he wouldn't let fall but failed as they escaped running down his cheek.

Caroline bitterly retorted "_so what, you want me to make it all better, well guess what Damon, life sucks, people take advantage of you and anyone else just gets over it but not you all you do is drown in a river of self pity and alcohol so you can just stay there because I'm not gonna help make you feel better" _with her face slightly changing as she turned and walked down the beach away from him.

He appeared in front of her angrily retorting "_like you can talk, all you've done is drown in a river of self pity which is exactly why you flipped the switch and wouldn't come find me so if I'm a coward then so are you" _coldly glaring at her to which she returned the same glare.

She couldn't hide the red lines under her eyes and he noticed just how turned on he was by it but now wasn't the time.

She angrily spat at him "_go back to Katherine at least she wants you but then judging from her reaction to you killing Stefan, its obvious she still wants Stefan over you as always" _to which e internally flinched at her words.

He angrily retorted "_oh yeah, like Stefan wants you to be an Elena 2.0 but then everyone did want Elena over you" _raising his eyebrow with a glare at her hitting where it hurt figuring if she could do it then so could he.

She rolled her eyes retorting "_tells me something that bothers me, you know if you both want Elena then I don't know what the fuck you both want with me" _shouting_ "I'm not fucking Elena and I wont be Elena" _coldly glaring at him before moving to walk past him.

He angrily yelled walking after her "_I don't want you to be Elena, why do you keep bringing Elena in to it, she's dead get the fuck over it, I keep telling you I don't want Elena, I want you and only you do I have to kill an entire small town for you to see that" _before speeding to stand in front of her.

She stopped in front of him as he angrily spat "_because believe me I will do it, just find me a small town and I will kill every last woman, man and child just to prove it to you, I'll create such a massacre that ripper Stefan would be hanging his head in shame" _glaring at her and she knew there and then he was deadly serious.

His words scared her but not because he would kill a whole town for her but it was the extremes he was willing to go to for her and she knew then what Katherine meant when she said that Damon is intense and it makes you either embrace it or want to run away from it and hell did she want to run but her feet wouldn't move.

He stared at her intensively with an open expression no longer full of anger as she willed herself to move or look away but she couldn't to which he noticed she was thinking of running and while he knew he needed her to make the move he knew for sure he wasn't going to let her get away that easily.

He seen the red lines around her eyes knowing he got through to her and never wanted her so much thinking just how much he missed her thinking he couldn't lose her, wouldn't lose her but yet she was now walking away from him for the second time already.

He stood speechless on the spot before going after her and before he knew it she turned to face him almost growling "_I hate you" _pushing him backwards with her hands to which he pushed her back glaring at her as the air changed to sexual tension as she stood right up in his personal space before crashing her lips to his to which he returned.

She gripped his hair with her hand to which he didn't hesitate pulling her closer to him wrapping his arms around her deepening the kiss as she rested her other hand on his lower back softly moaning against him sliding her hands up his t-shirt running them over his stomach and hips.

She grabbed his t-shirt with her hand ripping it off him to which he softly moaned before adding "_that was my favorite fucking t-shirt" _in between kisses adding "_you know I hate you right" _knowing the last bit wasn't true as he pulled her top off her.

She ran her hands over his shoulders and chest replying "_you piss me off but you don't hear me complaining" _crashing her lips to his sliding her hand across his toned stomach before opening his jeans letting them fall to the ground caressing him in her hand to which he moaned under her touch.

She lightly quipped "_I didn't think you were this easy, was Katherine not doing it for you"_ as he opened her own jeans letting them fall to the ground.

He ran his hands up and down her sides kissing her again ripping off her underwear before putting his hand between her thighs noticing just how wet she was as she moved against him hating he was able to make her come undone like this and hating just how much her body was betraying her as she didn't want him to know just how much he missed her.

He kissed her again before retorting "_like you can talk, this is the quickest you've ever gotten me naked, was Stefan not up to the job" _slightly widening his eyes at her adding "_your body seems to think so" _to which she rolled her eyes at him and he knew he was right and she knew he thought he was right judging by the cocky grin on his face.

He started leaving wet kisses along her neckline taking his wet fingers up to her face to show her the proof to which she quipped "_judging from this" _rubbing herself against his hardness adding "_I'__d say you're the one who missed me" _with a smirk to rival his own before she crashed her lips to his.

He pulled her closer to him to which she moved her leg behind his ankle pushing him backwards tripping him so he fell flat on his back and laughed at his surprised expression winking at him as she quipped "_paybacks a bitch" _with a grin to which he pulled her down on top of him.

Before she knew it he was on top of her kissing along her neckline moving himself into her to which she softly moaned under him moving against him gripping his shoulders with her hands before letting them slid down to his hips as he tangled his hand in her hair.

He grazed his fangs along her neck thinking this was all too good to be true and she was bound to get up and leave but pushed it away as he got lost in her touch and missed her telling him to bite her and wasted no time in drinking from her next when he felt her fangs sink into his shoulder driving them both over the edge.

They rode out their orgasm until they stopped moving and she wrapped her arms tightly around his lower back and took it as she didn't want him to move so he lay on top of her letting his forehead rest on the sand beside her head.

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><p>They lay in silence as he thought how much he missed this plus he missed her and judging from the way she was holding him so tightly he knew she missed him too even if they both did tear strips out of each other aiming below the belt with more then a few well deserved home truths.<p>

She knew he had a point about getting over her insecurities about Elena and couldn't believe he was just so open and honest with her and she knew he was right in everything he said but it scared her the way he knew her the way he did even if she had flipped the switch but then he could write a book on having turned your emotions off.

He also knew she was right in saying that he needed to stop with the self deprecation and trust her and get over Katherine once and for all and realize he does deserve better and they both decided there and then to get over their insecurities and finally trust each other even if it was going to be hard.

She softly trailed her fingers along his spine loving the way his skin seemed to shiver under her touch which was ironic as they were both dead as she broke the silence replying "_I would have come and found you eventually" _so softly he almost missed it.

He leaned back looking at her intensively replying "_what would you have done" _not sure if he really wanted to know this but it was out there now and he said it so it was his own fault if he didn't like what he heard.

She thought already knowing the answer but not sure if she wanted to put herself out there but figured he had already so she decided just to say it looking at the sand before softly replying in an almost whisper "_I would have looked for you, I wouldn't know where to start but I would have, I would have looked forever for you like you did with Katherine" _pausing as her eyebrows furrowed before adding "_and that scares me" _slowly looking up at him surprised by his open expression.

He swallowed the lump in his throat at her admission as she licked her lips before adding "_Katherine was right in what she said about you" _pausing as he looked at her quizzically.

She wasn't sure if she should continue but he looked like he wanted to know so she added "_before I ran out on you she told me when you love or fight its intense and it either makes you want to run away from it or embrace it, she said the way you loved her when you were human was so intense it scared her off" _as she felt those blue eyes burn into her and she felt like they could see into the very depths of her mind and she knew this is what Katherine meant.

The way he was looking at her right now was an expression of openness that she never thought was possible for him but he kept that part of him locked inside a cage deep down inside reserved for someone he cared about and she knew then he only wanted her and no one else.

Even though he was looking at her intensively she could see the doubt in his mind as she wondered was he so used to being brushed off that expecting to be rejected was an involuntary reflex that he had no control over so she decided to put him out of his misery adding "_I'm not running this time" _to which he blinked with a disbelieving expression.

She slightly laughed at him tangling her hand in his hair adding "_I wont run if you wont, now don't make me get anymore sappy because I think I'll throw up if I do" _slightly rolling her eyes to which he crashed his lips on hers to which she deepened the kiss flipping them over as they went for round two.

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><p>When they finished they lay in silence and she didn't know just how surprised he was by her response but he hid it well and he definitely wasn't expecting it as he softly replied "<em>that's why I came for you, I wanted to find you and if I had known what they did sooner I would have been here a lot sooner and I'm sorry that it wasn't sooner" <em>keeping one hand around her lower back and using the other to push back some of her hair when she leaned back to look at him.

He knew where she was coming from with what she said and it made him feel something unfamiliar knowing that she would have spent eternity looking for him which was not what Katherine would have done.

It was a strange feeling to him knowing that someone would do that for him and he was also glad he finally broke through her walls but even her admission scared him too as he knew he would have done the same for her all over again but didn't care because at least this time he knew he would actually be wanted by someone.

She looked off to the side for a second trying to say something before looking back at him replying "_I wanted to find you but I was so scared if I did I wouldn't like what I would see and that was you happy with Katherine" _pausing before adding "_Stefan was right I'm just a neurotic insecure control freak and a useless waste of space that no one wants because they all want perfect Elena" _rolling her eyes with bitterness in her voice.

Damon felt a surge of anger towards Stefan softly replying "_don't listen to Stefan, and Elena isn't perfect far from it, she manipulated both me and Stefan, even worse I nearly died cos of the bitch" _hating that Stefan had used all this against her.

He looked at her intensively as she replied "_you nearly died because of me, that bite was meant for me" _to which he interjected "_and I'd do it again in a heartbeat" _rolling his eyes adding "_well if I actually had a heart" _tightening his grip on her shoulders as she let out a small laugh not missing the seriousness in his voice.

They fell into silence before she whispered "_I missed you" _not adding probably more then you'll ever know to which he pulled her closer to him softly replying "_I missed you too" _as he started to wonder just where he was going to get another shirt from remembering that she ripped it off him.

He felt the atmosphere got too serious and he hated it because he didn't do soppy shit like this and he had a feeling neither did she so it was a first for both of them as he remembered he had no shirt left seeing it as an opportunity to lighten things up.

He slightly laughed quipping "_I've got no shirt now because you were too impatient and ripped it off me" _adding sarcasm to his voice "_I mean if you wanna see me naked all you have to do is ask, I would have taken it off" _to which he felt her laugh against his neck.

She looked at him seeing him smirking at her to which she laughed at him replying "_you were annoying me I had to shut you up and it worked" _winking at him to which he laughed at her knowing she was right.

* * *

><p><strong>5 years later<strong>

After that night Caroline and Damon got to know each other again and made up for lost time and even though he was surprised she never asked about Stefan and he also thought that she thought he killed Stefan.

They both decided to stay in Italy but moved to a different area along the coast and were sitting on the balcony of their house overlooking the beach drinking a glass of bourbon as he started to think about Stefan and coming clean to her about what really happened.

He kept glancing over at her to which she could feel him looking at her before she turned her head lightly quipping "_you okay" _giving a soft smile as he thought about backing out but there was a part of him that was worried how she would react.

He decided to just say it replying "_Stefan's still alive" _in a soft voice as she let her jaw slightly drop in surprise.

She replied "_I thought you killed him, well Katherine said you killed him but I never thought of it because I didn't want to be thinking about him" _before taking a drink from her glass.

Damon replied "_there was a basement downstairs where you both were living" _as she shook her head letting him know that she knew about it.

But her expression fell into one of surprise when he added "_he told me he made up a cellar down there with some vervain so I snapped his neck, forced some vervain into him and locked him in the cellar and that's where he's been for the last five years" _before he tossed back his drink waiting for her to start shouting at him but it never happened.

She finished off her drink before replying "_he deserved it and if I had of known that was down there I would put him there myself" _and it was his turn to be surprised that she didn't know about the cellar.

She added "_do you wanna let him out, I mean five years is a long time" _looking at him as he was now looking out onto the beach thinking about what she said and wondered if he really did want to let him out.

He swallowed a lump in his throat before looking at her replying "_I think so, he'll probably go straight to Katherine" _rolling his eyes.

Caroline replied "_Katherine doesn't know he's still alive does she" _to which he shook his head signaling she didn't know he was still alive so she added "_she's gonna kill us for this" _slightly shaking her head.

He looked at her replying "_she wont hurt you, she'll kill me for it or at least try to but she deserved it" _not hiding the bitterness in his voice at the last few words before refilling both their glasses.

He softly added in a tone of self loathing "_but I couldn't kill him, I wanted to but I couldn't, he's my brother I don't think I could go through eternity without him after 145 years of putting up with him for so long even if we both hate each other" _to which she put her drink down on the table before moving to sit on his lap pulling him into a hug.

She wasn't surprised he returned the hug as he really had changed over the last five years but it was only her he acted like that around and with everyone else he was still who he was when he came back to Mystic Falls and she loved they way it was only her that he let see this other side of him.

She rested her head against his as she asked "_you wanna let him out" _leaning back to look at him adding "_or we can leave there for another 5 years, hell even 500 hundred years if you want" _to which he slightly laughed.

He looked at her replying "_I don't hate him anymore, I don't want to because it takes too much energy to hate someone and I cant be bothered hating him and if I'm honest I don't feel anything about him anymore but you have more reason to hate him then I do so its up to you" _in a serious tone of voice.

Her expression fell into one of surprise that he would leave the decision to her as she replied "_to be honest I stopped hating him years ago, I didn't want to be with you and still holding a grudge and to be honest I forgot all about him when we left after that night on the beach" _falling silent before adding "_so I don't care if we let him out just once he stays away from us" _with a serious expression.

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><p>They finally came to a decision to let him out after Caroline told Damon that Stefan better leave them alone but he told her that Stefan may want to go on a big ripper binge or be so full of brooding he'd disappear to a small island somewhere and stay there permanently to which Caroline laughed hoping that Stefan would stay away from them.<p>

They got into the car after Damon got a blood bag and Caroline got went hunting for some animal blood as she wanted to give Stefan the choice of going on the human or animal and Damon was surprised that she was still willing to give him this option but she told him that even if she thought Stefan was an asshole he still deserved to have a choice.

Damon was slightly worried that Caroline would go back to Stefan but she told him that she didn't want Stefan and to not look so worried and he believed her since even though he let her be with other humans or vampire for a one night thing, the next morning she would always choose him.

She would always go back to him telling him she loved that he let her experience everything he got to experience and he always told her it was only fair since he done it all but one day he would want her to stop and just have him and she told him she would after he told her he didn't need to sleep with other men or women anymore.

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><p>When they got to the house they both walked in seeing that was covered in dust and was clearly abandoned for the last five years and not even a squatter was living there as they walked down into the basement Caroline didn't know about until Damon told her.<p>

She followed him down into the basement feeling a sense of relief that she was finally going to face him after all these years looking at Damon who was now looking in between the bars seeing Stefan's desiccated body lying in the corner of the cell.

He was about to open the door when she grabbed his hand to which he looked at her as she spoke "_anything he says, just remember I chose you" _giving a soft smile before reaching over and breaking the lock with her hand.

He let her stand in front of him as she opened that door letting swing open the full way as he walked over to where Stefan was lying and opened the bottle full of animal blood putting it to Stefan's lips waiting for him to start drinking it and watched his brother slowly come back to life.

Damon stepped back when Stefan grabbed the bottle and hungrily drinking it all before looked at Damon and seeing Caroline by the door hoarsely asking "_how long have I been here" _still sitting on the floor.

Damon coolly replied "_five years, I thought it was long enough" _shrugging his shoulder as it was nothing.

Stefan felt the haze in his mind starting to clear after the bottle of animal blood and spotted the blood bag in Caroline's hand to which Damon noticed quickly adding "_its human blood but Caroline wanted to give you the choice of animal or human even though I'd rather kill you" _to which Stefan slightly laughed while Caroline rolled her eyes thinking typical Damon always with the sarcasm.

A silence fell before Stefan looked at them both replying "_I'm sorry for what I did to you both" _in a genuine tone of voice.

Caroline interjected "_you should be, you hurt us both Stefan and I may not hate you but I will never forgive you and you need to get a grip on your blood addiction" _coldly glaring at Stefan letting him know she was serious.

Damon added "_same here Stefan, I'm not letting you out of this cell if you are just going to be on the animal diet or on the human blood, you need to get some control over this because its controlling you" _in a cold tone of voice glaring at Stefan.

Stefan slowly got up before replying "_I've been doing a lot of thinking in my time here and I know you're right but I cant do it on my own Damon" _not hiding the vulnerability in his voice to which they both knew that Stefan really was telling the truth in that he couldn't do it on his own.

Damon glared at him before turning to look at Caroline letting her know it was up to her so she told him "_he will get better control if he has help" _in a soft voice.

Damon shook his head turning back to look at Stefan telling him "_fine I will help you but we're doing this my way Stefan and if you make me regret it I will not hesitate to put you back in here and a word of warning me and Caroline are happy and you will not come between us" _darkly adding "_is that clear" _with a cold glare.

Stefan knew Damon meant business this time and shook his head in agreement to which Damon quipped "_that's settled then" _before he turned and walked out of the cell with Stefan following him.

Damon also told Stefan that Katherine thought he was dead and that he killed him to which Stefan was shocked that he just let Katherine think that he was dead after Damon told him Katherine left town.

Damon also told Stefan if he wanted their help he had to lose the moral superior attitude he had back in Mystic Falls as that was the whole reason they left in the first place.

* * *

><p>Over the next two months Damon helped Stefan by telling him to go on the animal blood but mix it with a small amount and build it up when he got used to the small amounts he was already taking.<p>

Stefan also sorted things out with Caroline but she still was wary of him so she made Damon stay in the same room as her and it nearly always ended up with the three of them sorting out a lot of stuff and talking about everything that happened even when it turned into fights and screaming arguments between Stefan and Damon or either Stefan and Caroline.

It was another two months before Stefan got some control over the human blood but Damon and Caroline, well mainly Damon was sick of Stefan and wanted to go somewhere new plus they were in the area too long and he was afraid people would get suspicious they weren't aging but it was really they just wanted to get away from Stefan even if he wasn't who he was back in Mystic Falls. T

hey changed their minds when Caroline asked Damon if it was possible that Stefan could go back to being a ripper if they left him to his own devices and Damon hated that she said it out loud as he was thinking it himself but didn't want to admit it.

When they told Stefan they were leaving they gave him to the option of going with them and he took it as he really wanted to get to know his brother again now that Katherine and Elena were no longer coming between them and it helped that Caroline made it clear that under no circumstances was she going to be another Elena and Katherine and try to pit them against each other and that Damon was her first and only choice.

Stefan understood and told them both they had no reason to worry and even though it took a few years Damon and Stefan were starting to be friends again with the help of Caroline even when they eventually ran into Katherine in a pub somewhere in a city in Ireland and needless to say she was pissed that Damon lied to her about Stefan being killed.

The three of them were surprised when Katherine admitted to loving them both in 1864 but she didn't anymore but she still cared deeply for them and they were reluctant and surprised that she had changed since they last saw her and Katherine told them Klaus being dead helped because she didn't have to run anymore.

She also told them she didn't want to run and when Caroline asked Damon could she travel with them for a while he was surprised but then he also knew Katherine had changed even if what she done to him was low so he decided to let her travel with them but he did warn her if she did anything he didn't like he would kill her and she told him she would hand him the stake herself if she screwed up.

Much to Damon and Caroline's surprise Stefan and Katherine had gotten back together and even they were both surprised to find they had a lot more in common now that they weren't acting like self centered assholes but at least this time she wasn't playing both brothers and it was also real.

Even though Damon was pissed that Stefan went back to her Caroline helped him through it and he eventually accepted it once Katherine told him she had no intention of hurting either him or Stefan like she did in 1864 but told him she still wanted to be his friend which he accepted.

Over time when they got to know each other they got on very well and they were surprised to see Katherine had completely changed and even she was surprised that they had all changed but then Mystic Falls and Klaus were two things that would make anyone act they way they all did over the years so they all made a deal to enjoy eternity together.

After a while both couples would go off on their own just to be by themselves together and they would meet up every few years and catch up for a while before going their separate ways.

**The End.**

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><p><strong>thanks for reading. i wont be doing a sequel to this story and thanks again for reading this crazy story<strong>


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